Biden admin backtracks on free crack pipes, gets slammed by liberal drug group
President Joe Biden's administration is not giving out free crack pipes, it confirmed on February 10, 2022. The administration was forced to issue a statement after widespread controversy over its 'Harm Reduction Program' in early February. Conservatives widely slammed the government after reports emerged it would be offering free crack pipes to combat the drug crisis, but as we explained that wasn't the whole story.
The Harm Reduction Plan is just a first step in Joe Biden's battle against America's drug crisis. The Justice Department also signaled its support for overdose prevention centers, such as the ones that opened in New York City in December 2021. In September 2021, the White House also recommended fentanyl be added to the Schedule 1 list, after multiple overdose deaths related to fentanyl-laced drugs.
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While many of the steps have drawn criticism from conservatives, perhaps nothing created a massive controversy the way the free crack pipes story did. It forced the White House to clarify that they would now no longer be available under the program, which has drawn the ire of one liberal drug group.
Are free crack pipes coming or not?
On February 7, a report emerged stating that smoking kits and supplies (including crack pipes) would be a part of the Harm Reduction Program. However, on February 10, a Health and Human Services spokesperson confirmed that was never the case. Speaking to The Daily Beast, the spokesperson said crack pipes were never mentioned on its website, or in its comments to The Washington Free Beacon, which first broke the story.
The Free Beacon reporter never asked about pipes, and the spokesperson never mentioned it, The Beast reported. "As you can see the staff never said or confirm[ed] that pipes were part of the kits," he said. The Beast also published the HHS' original comment on the matter, which simply states "safe smoking kits" without specifying the contents of the said kits. "The [HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration] does not specify the kits’ elements—only the parameters," the statement adds.
With the comments, the administration confirmed that free crack pipes are not on the table, but the Free Beacon has yet to correct its story. Furthermore, Republicans like Marjorie Taylor Greene have used the story to raise funds for their coming midterm elections. In contrast, one liberal group appears to be extremely angry about the clarity.
Group says 'missed opportunity'
Responding to the clarification, the Drug Policy Alliance issued a series of tweets saying "Health policy must be dictated by public health, not clickbait." The group said the reporting on crack pipes was "crafted to intentionally play on fear and racism," and noted, "harm reduction works." They concluded the thread by noting, "That’s why @HHSGov & @ONDCP decision today to remove pipes from safe smoking equipment is deeply disappointing. This is a missed opportunity to be preventative of more deaths due to overdose."
That’s why @HHSGov & @ONDCP decision today to remove pipes from safe smoking equipment is deeply disappointing. This is a missed opportunity to be preventative of more deaths due to overdose.
— Drug Policy Alliance (@DrugPolicyOrg) February 9, 2022
In a lengthier statement, the group's Executive Director Kassandra Frederique said, "Backtracking on providing critical evidence-based resources that could greatly improve the health of people who consume drugs through smoking is a huge missed opportunity that will disproportionately be felt in Black and Indigenous communities." Frederique went on to defend supplying crack pipes, noting it " is an evidence-based practice that helps people who inject drugs to switch to smoking."
She also noted the irony that the Biden administration has supported "expanding access to syringe service programs," and called it "a racial equity issue as much as a health
justice issue." While the HHS has not given out a comprehensive list of substances that would be allowed under the program, but pipes are not usually considered standard parts of smoking kits.