Senate Bill 57 pushes California one step closer to MORE open-air drug sites despite failed pilot attempt
The Senate Bill, SB 57, has been passed by California's senate on August 2 and is now with Governor Gavin Newsom's office where, if signed, it will be passed into law. The bill would allow supervised injection sites where addicts can bring their own drugs and use clean, state-provided needles and other paraphernalia.
To counter the bill, the state's Senate Republican Caucus signed a letter on August 1 asking Newsom for a “swift veto” of the legislation, which would allow the operation of “drug dens” and provide addicts with sterile needles as well as other supplies “for pre-obtained drugs.” According to DailyMail, the bill, which got passed with 21 Democratic votes over 10 Republican rejections, will push for more open-air drug sites, despite the failed pilot attempt in San Francisco, which is now due to be closed.
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According to reports, the bill was proposed by State Senator Scott Wiener, who said that there are a proven way to reduce overdose deaths. Weiner released an official statement talking about SB 57, which will run for five years, through January 1, 2028, where he said, "Every overdose death is preventable. We have the tools to end these deaths, get people healthy, and reduce harm for people who use drugs. Right now, we are letting people die on our streets for no reason other than an arbitrary legal prohibition that we need to remove. SB 57 is long overdue, and will make a huge impact for some of the most vulnerable people in our community.” However, Senate Republican Caucus Chair Brian Jones said, as per DailyMail, "Allowing people to get higher than a kite on heroin and other dangerous drugs, then turning them loose afterwards onto the streets is just crazy."
Pilot attempt FAILED in San Francisco
According to reports, a similar initiative was launched in San Francisco by city officials in 2021. Mayor London Breed announced the opening of the Tenderloin Linkage Center in January 2021, describing it as “a safe, welcoming space for those ready to access San Francisco’s health and human service resources easily and quickly.” The idea was to help people suffering from drug addiction or mental illness, who are mostly homeless, to be “linked” to services.
However, this pilot attempt had a disastrous result. The center quickly became a place where people could consume drugs in relative safety. According to those involved in its creation, it was an “overdose prevention site” or “safe consumption site.” But only one out of 1,000 addicts coming to the center actually sought treatment there, defeating the purpose of providing a safe space for addicts in order to link them to treatment and de-addiction services at the city-sanctioned center.