Philadelphia bans supervised injection sites – evidence suggests keeping drug users on the street could do more harm than good | The Conversation (theconversation.com)

submitted 2 years ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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The United States remains tightly in the grasp of an ongoing, and escalating, crisis of deaths caused by opioid overdoses.

With a record-high 109,000 people dying in 2022, it is clear that something new needs to be done to reverse this trend.

Philadelphia is near the epicenter of the crisis. Some of the country’s largest open-air drug markets can be found in the Kensington neighborhood. Heroin, prescription opioids and fentanyl aren’t the only drugs of concern. Xylazine, a powerful non-opioid also known as tranq, has an overwhelming presence on the streets.

We are a group of Scandinavian and American researchers who have studied drug treatment and harm reduction, and we have been watching the situation in Philadelphia from a variety of perspectives.

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[-] [email protected] 24 points 2 years ago

Supervised injection sites prevent overdose deaths, needle related infections, and give addicts access to help if they want to quit. It is 100% the sane and humane thing to do.

[-] [email protected] 3 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Yea, we don't do that here, sadly.

[+] [email protected] -13 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

That’s just your opinion, but what are the facts?

The article is about someone who studied that and while they found it holds true in Denmark, it’s associated with increased drug deaths in Philadelpia.

I only read the article, which had limited details, so I don’t know what the study may have corrected for or even if there was an actual study, but Philadelpia’s approach may need some adjustment. The basic idea might not even hold true in the US, given other factors, such as lack of healthcare, and demonization of those addicted

[-] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

The fact is that drug abuse needs to be treated as a health issue, not one where they get thrown on the streets to die.

[-] [email protected] 8 points 2 years ago

The article is about someone who studied that and while they found it holds true in Denmark, it’s associated with increased drug deaths in Philadelpia.

What? Where in the article is that even suggested? What data is there that could suggest it--How could it possibly be known that supervised injection sites are associated with increased drug deaths in Philadelphia, when Philadelphia has never had them?

[-] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

You’re right. I’m the one who can’t read.

I think I got hung up on some of the wording implying g that it exists, connected to the increased drug deaths

the Pennsylvania legislature also overwhelmingly voted to ban supervised injection sites in the entire state

[-] [email protected] 2 points 2 years ago

Based of you to recognize when you are wrong. Philly stays winning with the best people.

this post was submitted on 22 Oct 2023

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