Safe-injection sites provide hope

As overdose rates rise across America, Philadelphia is moving to open a supervised injection site that will create meaningful change for the communities most affected by this public health epidemic. 

This is a landmark decision, not only for Philadelphia, but for the United States. Safehouse’s safe-injection site will be the first to operate in the United States, in the face of a growing opioid addiction and overdose epidemic. 

Safehouse, a non-profit organization focused on reducing the number of overdose related deaths, has been Philadelphia’s primary advocate for supervised injection sites, also known as safe-injection sites. Safehouse’s efforts led federal judges to rule in favor of creating a safe-injection site Oct. 2, stating that these sites would not violate federal drug laws. 

Opioid overdose deaths have increased exponentially over the last 10 years, and Pennsylvania ranks among the states with the highest overdose death rates, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Between the years of 2016 and 2017, the CDC overdose deaths increased by 9.7%. 

Although a majority of overdose deaths are caused by synthetic opioids, heroin continues to pose a significant threat with the National Institute on Drug Abuse observing a 545% increase in heroin related overdose deaths between 2007 and 2017.

With statistics as grim as these, the prospect of a solution that can bring those struggling with drug addiction out of the dark brings new hope. A 2017 study from Thomas Jefferson University and Main Line Health reviewed the efficacy of facilities like the one Safehouse is proposing and showed a significant decrease in the number of overdose deaths, an increase in hygienic usage and an increase in users seeking treatment for addiction. 

These sites can create change for communities wrought by drug abuse, and the ruling is making way for drug reform that will reduce the stigma attached to drug addiction and allow people to find a pathway to recovery.

Other Stories

Unsigned editorials represent the opinion of the Campus Times Editorial Board.

Latest Stories

Related articles

The loneliness epidemic: A silent battle

An overwhelming feeling, a crushing weight in her chest, a persistent lump in her throat and the urge to cry for no apparent reason are the physical manifestations of loneliness that plagues Julia Tenan, a senior psychology and criminal justice minor at the University of Saint Joseph in Connecticut.

State schools stock Narcan, will La Verne follow suit?

The California Campus Opioid Safety Act requires public colleges and universities to offer educational and preventative information about opioid overdoses to students during orientation. And it requires campus health centers to distribute free dosages of the federally approved opioid overdose reversal medication Naloxone, commonly known as Narcan. 

Study finds birth control increases cancer risk

A study published in the PLOS Medicine journal last month found that women on hormonal birth control have a 0.2% higher risk of breast cancer.

University prepares for monkeypox

If cases of monkeypox arise on campus, the University has safety measures in place to protect the health of the students and faculty.