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Monday, May 09, 2016

Once Unthinkable In U.S., Drug Shoot-Up Rooms Get Serious Look

BALTIMORE (AP) — Across the United States, heroin users have died in alleys behind convenience stores, on city sidewalks and in the bathrooms of fast-food joints — because no one was around to save them when they overdosed.

An alarming 47,000 American overdose deaths in 2014 — 60 percent from heroin and related painkillers like fentanyl — has pushed elected leaders from coast to coast to consider what was once unthinkable: government-sanctioned sites where users can shoot up under the supervision of a doctor or nurse who can administer an antidote if necessary.

“Things are getting out of control. We have to find things we can do for people who are addicted now,” said New York state Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal, who is working on legislation to allow supervised injection sites that would also include space for treatment services. “The idea shouldn’t be dismissed out of hand. I don’t see anyone else coming up with anything new and innovative.”

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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

seriously? so how much is this going to cost? appears we pay one way or the other for peoples bad life choices. I say let them OD. Why do we have to support this with tax revenue? no one but me supports my habits!

Anonymous said...

"An alarming 47,000 American overdose deaths in 2014"

Look at this another way. Read instead that the number of drug users was reduced by 47,000 in the year 2014. Most of us know that drug use leads to crime. If we stop these people from dying, it will lead to higher crime statistics. According the the Baltimore Sun's database, the majority of the last 100 deaths murders in that city were black on black males. I guess we could say then that drugs lead to more black male discrimination and we could call that Drug Privilege.

Anonymous said...

This is the craziest crap I've ever heard.

Anonymous said...

So, just like teen pregnancy, let's spend millions of dollars shielding people from the consequences of their behavior.

Nobody takes heroin by accident. It is a conscious choice with well-known consequences and outcomes. An overdose is almost assured over time.

It's TRAGIC when someone dies of an overdose, but if we set up a big safety net and do a lot of hand-holding with these folks, why would they change?

If you're going to do something, set up places where people can come to get HELP. A place where you can get access to everything you need to reclaim your life.

But setting up a shooting gallery is just going to make the problem worse.

Anonymous said...

This idea has been around. Soon enough we will see safe environments for whatever drug you want to take. Control the environment and control the high. Let Darwin do his work and lets move on. I am not making light of this and have lost a close family member to substance abuse. End the end it is a choice. Some people do not want help or to get off the drug. People who do have ways out and that is a choice. Lets stop enabling.

Anonymous said...

There is one in the restrooms at Wawa on S. 13.

Anonymous said...

Set it up in the morgue where the bodies are being hauled in daily. They can shoot up as the bodies are pushed past the window and parked in view.

Anonymous said...

Ok so I for one am personally tired of hearing about it! They made a choice! An ILLEGAL Choice - so if it kills them - it was their choice! It may have a bad ending but it was their choice! So since this drug kills almost everyone it comes in contact with you want to set up a shooting gallery why not hand each one a revolver with a single bullet when they enter? Same chances of making it out alive! Oh wait people wouldn't care because you were DUMB!!!!

Anonymous said...

Didn't China have these in the 1820's, called Opium Dens.

Anonymous said...

I could care less to if they OD. Good riddance loser is how I see it.

lmclain said...

Natural selection.
It comes in many forms, works in many ways.
I'm sorry for the parents who had to get that news.