San Francisco moves closer to reopening supervised injection centers for drug addicts

Authorized centers that allow people to freely use illicit drugs indoors, supervised by trained staff, may soon become a reality in San Francisco. On Thursday, three members of the city’s Public Safety and Utilities committee approved legislation that would clear the way for the reopening of controlled injection sites throughout the city.

Legislation will amend the permit rules to allow such centers to open. Oversight bodies Katherine Stefani, Matt Dorsey and Joel Engardio voted to move the proposal to public comment for a vote next Tuesday.

While critics claim the sites condone illegal drug use, proponents say the centers save lives by getting drug addicts off the streets and into sanitation facilities where they can learn about rehab services. Employees can also intervene in emergencies by administering naloxone, a drug overdose antidote that has been repeatedly shown to prevent drug-related death.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has long argued that controlled injection sites violate federal law, meaning that anyone who uses them, or even works inside, could be prosecuted. The centers also violate state laws. Governor Newsom, despite being known for his progressive politics, vetoed a plan last year that would allow injection sites to be experimentally opened in some cities, including San Francisco.

Despite ongoing legal hurdles, the bill’s main sponsors, Mayor Breed and Supervisor Hillary Ronen, said they hope to limit liability to the city, emulating what New York achieved in November 2021 when the Big Apple opened the nation’s first controlled injection site. without relying on taxpayer dollars, instead using private funds.

Similar sites have been operating in other countries for decades to reduce drug overdose deaths. To gain a better understanding of how these centers operate, in 2018, the NBC Bay Area Investigation Department traveled to Canada to get a first-hand look at these centers and speak directly with center staff and drug users who use these facilities. There are about a dozen controlled injection sites in Vancouver today.

Ronen’s office said they hope to open three injection centers in San Francisco by the end of the year.

If a majority of observers approve the plan next Tuesday, the law would require a second majority at a subsequent board meeting on Feb. 28, as is typical for proposed regulations.