On November 30, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, D, approved two locations to begin operating as safe consumption sites. These sites currently operate as syringe exchange service sites, and will now receive trained personnel to handle any drug related overdose situation. 

Harm reduction activists cheered and took to Twitter to express their gratitude to Mayor Blasio. One organization, One Point NYC, will operate each site. One is located in East Harlem with the other in Washington Heights. 

“New York City has led the nation’s battle against COVID-19, and the fight to keep our community safe doesn’t stop there,” Mayor de Blasio said in a press statement. “After exhaustive study, we know the right path forward to protect the most vulnerable people in our city. And we will not hesitate to take it.”

Importance

In 2020, New York City Health Officials reported more than 2,000 fatal drug overdoses, which is the highest it has ever been in the city since reporting began in 2000. Research shows each safe consumption site could save up to 130 lives a year. It may not seem like a large number, but the more sites available for individuals in any given city, the more lives can be saved. 

Additionally, safe consumption sites offer several different benefits, as seen in peer reviewed studies from around the world. Those include:

• Increased entry of individuals into substance use disorder treatment
• Reduced the amount and frequency individuals consume illicit drugs
• Reduced public disorder
• Increased public safety
• Reduced risky behavior – such as sharing syringes and potentially contracting blood borne diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C
• Reduced the overall drug-related overdose death rate
• Increased the delivery of medical supplies and access to social services. 

Biden Administration

Even though these two safe consumption sites will begin operating in New York City as soon as possible, there has been no response from President Biden on if he will challenge them or not. Previously, the Trump Administration blocked Safehouse, a nonprofit safe consumption site operation, from opening a location in Philadelphia. Previously, Safehouse filed a lawsuit to open and operate their safe consumption site under the new administration. However, the Supreme Court decided to not take up the case.

Recently, the secretary to the U.S. Department of Human Health Services (HHS) made comments regarding safe consumption sites. According to HHC, the Biden Administration wouldn’t pursue legal action against these safe consumption sites. 

Next Steps

New York City will operate these safe consumption sites to help reduce overdose rates. Additionally, they provide care for individuals suffering from substance use disorder. However, health officials are supporting these sites to help reduce overdose deaths in during the opioid epidemic.

“The national overdose epidemic is a five-alarm fire in public health, and we have to tackle this crisis concurrently with our COVID fight,” Health Commissioner Dave Chokshi said. “Giving people a safe, supportive space will save lives and bring people in from the streets, improving life for everyone involved. Overdose prevention centers are a key part of broader harm reduction.”

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