NYC 2.0? California Considers Bill to Allow State-Sanctioned ‘Injection’ Sites

California lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow state-sanctioned “injection sites” for people to use drugs. 

The bill, introduced by Democratic state Sen. Scott Wiener in December of 2020, would allow for supervised spaces where people could use illegal drugs with sterile equipment and receive emergency care if needed. 

The sites would be designed to prevent overdoses and provide a place for people to use drugs indoors rather than on a sidewalk, Wiener said, per BizPacReview.

If passed, the bill would allow the City and County of San Francisco, the City and County of Los Angeles, and the City of Oakland to authorize the sites. It also gives local authorities, including police and public health officials, a chance to offer public comment on a new site prior to its opening. 

As previously reported by Human Events News, in November of 2021, New York City became the first city in the U.S. to open supervised drug consumption sites in efforts to combat spiking overdose death numbers. 

The “Overdose Prevention Centers” are “safe places where people who use drugs can receive medical care and be connected to treatment and social services,” according to former Mayor Bill de Blasio’s Office.