Tuesday,
February 18, 2025
Year : 2, Issue: 25
ABC7: There are places people can go take illegal drugs under the watchful eye of supervisors to ensure they don’t die.
They are called Overdose Prevention Centers, or also known as safe injection sites, and there are two of them in New York City — the first of its kind in the nation.
Now, after more than three years of operating, there’s a new effort under a new president to shut down the centers that are run by a non-profit organization.
It’s called OnPoint NYC and they have two locations in Washington Heights and East Harlem.
Drug users can take their drug of choice from heroin to cocaine inside the centers and supervisors intervene, most times with oxygen, if the user starts to overdose. They also provide test strips for drugs to ensure they don’t have fatal doses of fentanyl inside.
Since opening in 2021, the executive director said they’ve intervened in more than 1,700 overdoses. They also provide services like medical help, substance abuse treatment and housing assistance.
Opponents say the centers encourage people to do illegal drugs.
“They’re encouraging people to use by giving them a community center to go to and to use heroin, it’s something that’s encouraging addicts not helping them,” said Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis.
She sent a letter to the newly confirmed attorney general, asking her to shut down both locations along with any others that have opened across the country.
