New York City has authorized two supervised injection sites in Manhattan, becoming the first U.S. city to officially open facilities in an attempt to curb a surge in overdose deaths caused by increasingly potent street drugs.
The two sites, located in East Harlem and Washington Heights, have trained staff who provide clean needles, administer naloxone to reverse overdoses, and provide users with options for addiction treatment. Users bring their own drugs to the sites. The two sites were already operating as needle exchange programs and are now operating as “overdose prevention” centers.
Despite controversy, proponents believe the facilities will help prevent overdose deaths as well as stem the problem of public drug use that can often leave a trail of used syringes on the streets or in parks. To learn more about the new injection sites and varying points of view over the legal and moral implicatiosn of sanctioning illegal drug use, visit here.