Justice Department Says it is Evaluating Safe Injection Sites

The Justice Department says it is evaluating safe injection sites, and talking to regulators about “appropriate guardrails” for the facilities, the Associated Press reports.

The sites provide medical supervision for people who want to inject pre-obtained heroin and other narcotics. The first two government-approved supervised injection sites in the United States opened in New York City in November. According to ONPoint NYC, the organization that runs the facilities, the sites so far have intervened in more than 125 overdoses among more than 640 people — many of whom have made multiple visits.

Last year the Justice Department won a lawsuit against a safe consumption site in Philadelphia.

Since President Biden took office, the Justice Department has not taken a public stance on safe consumption sites, the article notes. The department, in a statement to the Associated Press, seemed to signal it is open to considering their use.

“Although we cannot comment on pending litigation, the department is evaluating supervised consumption sites, including discussions with state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails for such sites, as part of an overall approach to harm reduction and public safety,” the agency said.