Rhode Island’s decision to launch the nation’s first “legal” supervised drug consumption site again raises critical questions about the ultimate goals of such facilities and whether they can serve as a pathway to drug treatment. Rhode Island, faced with rising overdoses—435 individuals died last year, the highest year on record for the state—believes that safe sites, as they are known, can be effective to curb overdoses and infectious diseases, and also provide information about treatment as an option, rather than a requirement. After many years of legal battles, two safe sites opened last year in New York City, and other cities that are also faced with soaring overdoses are considering doing the same. Although they remain illegal under federal law, Rhode Island is officially sanctioning a two-year pilot project and in a novel strategy, is financing it with funds received from opioid legal settlements. As a harm reduction measure, safe safes allow users to shoot up in a safe setting, with medical personnel, drug testing strips, and clean needles on hand to reduce the chance of injury or death. While this is important to save lives, those running safe sites—including the Rhode Island project—say they will not force participants to enter treatment nor expect that they do so, but rather offer the option "if they are interested." This is a misguided approach that fails to recognize that substance users aren’t likely to accept, on their own, an offer or option to voluntarily enter treatment. Instead, it’s critical to provide incentives that could become a bridge to treatment—such as drug courts, or guaranteed employment after successfully completing a course of treatment—and motivate users to seek recovery. Harm reduction and treatment are often talked about as separate, opposite approaches. But instead should be considered together as part of a comprehensive strategy to ending the addiction and overdose crisis in America, which last year claimed more than 108,000 lives.
Street Address
City, State, Zip
Phone Number
Rosenthal Center for AddictIon Studies