The City of New York and health experts in the city and the state are working on establishing a supervised injection site for drug users in the Manhattan borough of New York City, one of the biggest cities in the United States. The site is the first of its kind in the country.
The Mayor of New York has also said he wants to take the project further, to other counties.
“New York City’s open injection site will save lives and teach residents important lessons, all while helping with criminal justice costs, finding long-term solutions, and finally, keeping our communities safe and healthy,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said.
The facility, which will be under the jurisdiction of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, will help drug users shoot up in a controlled environment, surrounded by health care professionals.
“This is an option for drug users who need it the most,” the mayor said.
Currently, New York City’s Harlem Hospital and Maimonides Medical Center will contribute to the program, according to city officials. The sites will serve the drug users in the city who access them.
There will be no needle exchange points or treatment for drug use on the premises. There will be visitors, medical staff and monitoring devices.
The medical team with the site will always offer medication-assisted treatment to treat opioid dependence, according to de Blasio.
Doctors and health specialists say the project will reduce mortality and promote clean and safe injections. They say the city’s approach will provide harm reduction for drug users, as well as prevent deaths and ensure that people don’t contract diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
State officials have tried to set up such centers in New York for years, and New York is the first to go ahead and use the legal authority to legalize the supervised injection site.
However, most of the country does not have needle exchange programmes.
Other sites are operating in other countries, such as Australia and Europe.
These sites allow drug users to buy, buy and use drugs clean. However, clean drugs can cause the spread of diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis C.
The various legal challenges to the programs are a result of the fear of people who need such programs, said Dr. David B.
Supervised injection sites for Drug Users
De Blasio, a Democratic mayoral candidate, stated several times that he opposes the sites during his campaign.
When he realized that he could not stop them, the mayor is now supporting the project, which opponents in New York say is a failure.