S.F. considers ‘shooting gallery’ for drug addicts

[Sonsie]

SAN FRANCISCO - City health officials took steps Thursday toward opening the nation’s first legal safe-injection room, where addicts could shoot up heroin, cocaine and other drugs under the supervision of nurses.
Hoping to reduce San Francisco’s high rate of fatal drug overdoses, the public health department co-sponsored a symposium on the only such facility in North America, a 4-year-old Vancouver site where an estimated 700 users a day self-administer narcotics under the supervision of nurses. LINK

They get me all excited with the headline then it turns out they are shooting themselves… oh well. Can you imagine the first lawsuits when some addict ODs then the family wants to sue because of inadequate supervision or the like? You know it would happen too given how litigious our society is and the crappy cut-with-god-knows-what drugs these folks happily mainline.

[huntr1]

I think the cops should sit outside the door and bust them for possession.

[vegmom]

"Drug overdoses represented about one of every seven emergency calls handled by city paramedics between July 2006 and July 2007, according to San Francisco Fire Department Capt. Niels Tangherlini."

I can see where they would be looking for anyway to cut down those numbers. Would the cost reduction on the EMS side be greater than the costs incurred operating these places?


The only advantagea I see to the plan proposed is that it would mean fewer dirty needles in the street and fewer junkies shooting up where anyone (read: kids) could see them.

But wouldn't things like, oh gee, I dunno , methadone clinics be a better idea??

Wouldn't a program that addresses the underlying cause be a better solution?

[pcjohnnyb]

ha, so what exactly is the nurse going to do when the crack-head doesn't want to lay down his pipe?


I can't foresee this working out...i mean, how exactly are they going to allow ILLEGAL narcotics to be used in any way???

[ItalianScallion (Premo)]

They said they want to "reduce the harms and improve the health of our community"??? HELLO BLIND FOOLS! Drugs do this? Isn't drug use illegal? Then the San Fran "sicko" government should be charged with aiding & abetting. How far has America fallen when they can't stop drug abuse so they make it legal & convenient?!! San Fran"sicko" is the modern day Sodom & Gomorrah. I wouldn't want to live there for any reason when God's wrath falls on them. I'm all for helping these drug heads out, but not by enabling them.

[godsbutterfly]

Originally Posted by pcjohnnyb

ha, so what exactly is the nurse going to do when the crack-head doesn't want to lay down his pipe?


I can't foresee this working out...i mean, how exactly are they going to allow ILLEGAL narcotics to be used in any way???

You said it exactly right about the crack-head not wanting to lay down his pipe etc.! I used to do outreach programs with drug addicts and if they don't want to lay it down they don't care who or what you are - if you are in their way you are gonna get moved! That's one reason why I stopped doing it. I'm 5'2" and about 125 pounds. I might be crazy but I'm not stupid! You don't have to threaten my life but so often before I take a hint!