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80 percent of the 907 overdose deaths in 2016 were related to heroin, and so the public here surely faces a real challenge which requires officials to respond with urgency.
But at least two Philadelphia councilmembers – one of whom is the City Council President – imply the Kenney Administration is moving at a speed too rapid.
Already, the nation is talking about Philadelphia because on Tuesday the city announced it will encourage private-sector development of safe injection sites for individuals experiencing addiction to heroin. But as the nation bets on whether Philadelphia will be the first U.S. city to sanction safe injection sites, lawmakers here want to dramatically slow down the conversation.
Philadelphia City Council President Darrell Clarke on Thursday said that he and his colleagues received a “briefing a couple days before the announcement.” However, Mr. Clarke says given all the complexities associated with the concept, a “thorough and thoughtful conversation” is needed.
One of the main things that need to be discussed is the fact that despite marijuana being decriminalized in Philadelphia, people are still being arrested for smoking and possessing it, the councilman acknowledged. So, if you juxtapose that fact with the idea of allowing individuals to safely inject heroin, a quagmire will manifest, he implied.
Also, the Councilman believes the concept inherently sends a mixed signal.
“What type of signals are you sending when you say it’s okay to utilize drugs?” Mr. Clarke asked rhetorically.
And, moreover, Mr. Clarke simply doesn’t have, or wasn’t provided with, enough information from the Mayor’s Administration on the initiative, which is among the recommendations made in May 2017 by the Mayor’s Taskforce to Combat the Opioid Epidemic.
“I don’t know what a safe injection site is at this point other than a concept or idea,” Mr. Clarke said after the first City Council session of 2018. He went on to say:
“Who’s going to pay for it? Who’s going to operate it?” the councilman, who’s also unaware of where these sites would be located, asked.
8th District councilwoman Cindy Bass on Thursday morning, before her first session of the New Year, appeared exclusively on Wake Up with WURD and revealed her plans to seek authorization for a hearing on the issue. Her authorization was granted, Mr. Clarke confirmed.
Following her appearance on the show but before the City Council session, the councilwoman released a communication. In it, she stated:
“I think it’s important that we as a City are thoughtful about how we proceed with safe injection sites. A significant amount of research needs to be done, because right now there are a lot of unanswered questions surrounding the idea of implementing a safe injection site. What are the best places to locate such a site? Is it in neighborhoods? Would a central location like Center City where the constant flow of people in and out of a facility wouldn’t draw much attention be a better idea, to help alleviate any stigma associated with drug use? Should this be a ballot measure? Would letting residents vote on this issue give the City a better idea of what neighborhoods support such an initiative and further help determine where an injection site could be?”
A date has yet to be determined for the public hearing(s) on safe injection sites.
Thanks for reading! Until next time, I’m Flood the Drummer® and I’m Drumming for Justice!™
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