The two sites, known as The Corner Project in Washington Heights and New York Harm Reduction in East Harlem, opened Tuesday and provide clean needles to drug users and Naloxone to reverse overdoses.
The goal is to stem the staggering spike in overdose deaths since the pandemic. Mayor Bill DeBlasio applauded the move to authorize safe havens for people to use heroin and other narcotics, stating he hopes the sites will help curb overdoses.
However, it appears they're already being shunned by local abusers, who instead prefer to shoot up outdoors and chuck out their syringes outdoors.
The trained staff at the sites, which already operated as needle exchange centers, monitor users and help connect them to treatment counselors, care coordinators and refer them to other medical services, city officials announced.
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Supporters of the sites press that providing supervision and access to Naloxone and treatment services will prevent more people from dying as drug use grows even more rampant since the pandemic.
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Opposers counter that the centers encourage drug use and attract illegal activity to areas already known to be rife with crime.
The 'overdose prevention centers' - commonly known as supervised injection sites - have been discussed for years in New York and some other US cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and Seattle and already exist in Canada, Australia, and across Europe.
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There were 600 reported overdose deaths between January and March of this year and the city is expected to exceed more than 2,000 overdose deaths by 2020 - the deadliest year since fatalities began to be recorded in 2000.
The Centers for Disease Control projects that across the United States, above 90,000 individuals died of a drug overdose during 2020, the worst year on record. According to a Health Department Study, the centers could save 130 lives a year.
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The New York Harm Reduction, one of the centers, tweeted on Monday: 'For more than 29 years, we have dedicated our lives to ending #overdose deaths & the criminalization & stigma associated with substance use. Being the 1st OPC site in the US is an honor & incredible step forward in ending the #overdose crisis #wearethemedicine #THIS SITE SAVES LIVES.'
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Proponents say the facilities save lives by acknowledging the reality of drug use and providing a place where users are watched for signs of overdoses.
"New York City has led the nation's battle against COVID-19, and the fight to keep our community safe doesn't stop there. After an exhaustive study, we know the right path forward to protect the most vulnerable people in our city. And we will not hesitate to take it," DeBlasio said.
"Overdose Prevention Centers are a safe and effective way to address the opioid crisis. I'm proud to show cities in this country that after decades of failure, a smarter approach is possible."
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