October 3, 2019 – Philadelphia, PA

Over the past several weeks, the topic of safe injection sites has been a hot debate. Philadelphia nonprofit Safehouse has been attempting to establish the nation’s first safe injection site but has been roadblocked for months.

Yesterday, U.S. District Judge Gerald A. McHugh ruled that Safehouse’s plan to establish a facility where people could use drugs under medical supervision does not violate federal law. The Justice Department has already asked for an appeal.

Europe and Canada have been home to safe injection sites for decades. They act as a place people can safely use heroin and other drugs. Mayor Jim Kenney is among the backers of safe injection sites, believing they could potentially save lives and reduce the number of overdose related deaths in America. Overdoses have killed more than 3,000 people in Philadelphia over the last few years.

Despite the positives, residents of Kensington (the home of Safehouse’s project) have been resistant to the safe injection site. They feel making their community the hub could bring even more drug use to the area.

Source: The Inquirer