US will back study of safe injection sites in attempt to prevent overdoses
For the first time, the
U.S. government will pay for a large study measuring whether overdoses can be prevented by so-called safe injection sites, places where people can use heroin and other illegal drugs and be revived if they take too much.
The grant provides more than $5 million over four years to New York University and Brown University to study two sites in New York City and one opening next year in Providence, Rhode Island.
Researchers hope to enroll 1,000 adult drug users to study the sites’ effects on overdoses, estimate costs and gauge savings for the health care and criminal justice systems. The money will not be used to operate the sites.
With U.S. drug overdose deaths reaching nearly 107,000 in 2021, supporters contend safe injection sites, also called overdose preventions centers, can save lives and connect people with addiction treatment, mental health services and medical care.
Opponents worry the sites encourage drug use and that they will lead to deterioration of surrounding neighborhoods.
“There is a lot of discussion about overdose prevention centers, but ultimately, we need data to see if they are working or not, and what impact they may have on the community,” said Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, which awarded the grant.
Sites operate in 14 countries, including Canada, Australia and France, according to the Drug Policy Alliance, a group working for decriminalization and safe drug use policies.
The White House’s drug control strategy is the first to focus on harm reduction.