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Kayla Whitty

Honors Junior Lit

Mr. Pace

June 13, 2023

Let Them Use Drugs

Supervised consumption sites remain illegal under United States federal law despite the

successes at the two U.S. sites, both operating in New York City. Supervised consumption sites,

also known as supervised injection sites, safe injection sites, overdose prevention centers, and

drug consumption rooms are places where people who experience opioid addiction can go to

have a safe and controlled environment. Safe consumption sites provide many resources to the

public, including sterile supplies, a secure environment, support from clinicians to combat an

overdose, detox management services, and primary care that may include testing for sexually

transmitted infections. Supervised consumption sites are a vital way to increase safety of the

public and of the user, even though some believe it encourages the use of recreational opioids.

Overdose prevention centers have proved successful in the countries that exhibit them,

yet they remain controversial throughout the world. “There are almost 200 OPCs currently

operating in fourteen countries around the world (Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France,

Germany, Iceland, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the US)”

(Overdose prevention centers). 10 out of the 14 countries that contain some of the 200 overdose

prevention centers are ranked within the top 17 for happiest countries in the world (Hunter).

Even though correlation does not necessarily mean causation, it should be noted that these

countries report their happiness based on social support, generosity, and the government’s ability

to look after human well-being. Even though sites all over the world have shown great success
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“There are only two officially sanctioned, supervised injection sites in the entire country, both in

New York City and less than a year old. And just last month, California Governor Gavin

Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland to open

sites as part of a pilot program” (Sutherland and Stohr). This shows that many people are still

against the idea of safe consumption sites, despite their success elsewhere in the country. Safe

injection sites are a vital part of communities, helping to prevent the spread of disease and death

due to accidental overdose. Safe injection sites save lives even if it isn’t the lives that you want to

be saved.

Supervised consumption sites prevent the loss of life and help keep communities safer.

By providing users with a safe place to swap needles and participate in the recreational use of

opioids, cities aren’t just ignoring the fact that opioid use, outside of prescribed use, is illegal.

Even though many people believe that safe consumption sites only encourage drug use but don't

affect them personally, safe consumption sites are actually a way to protect an entire community.

By using dirty needles, there is a higher chance of the user contracting sexually transmitted

infections such as HIV which can develop into life-threatening AIDs. After a user is HIV

positive, they can transmit that infection to partners or children, therefore affecting many people

outside of just themselves. Similar to this is that safe consumption sites provide a place for users

to consume drugs. Many people view this as a bad thing, but in reality it takes users away from

public spots, such as parks where kids may be playing, creating less of a chance of children

witnessing the process or finding a used needle on the ground. Kids don’t know what to do when

they see needles on the ground because they aren’t taught the danger of bloodborne pathogens,

so by taking those unsafe needles off of the streets, you would be raising a safer place for a child

to thrive. Safe consumption sites don’t just protect the user, they protect the community that the
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site is located in.

Many argue that by providing a safe place for people to use drugs that users are then not

getting arrested for something that is illegal throughout the United States. Addiction is a mental

illness, something that is hard to break away from despite what the person believes would be

best. Arresting someone for using drugs does not eliminate the fact that there are drug dealers

who will continue to sell to new customers. Arresting the user on counts of possession are not

fixing the drug crisis that is meeting the United States. Many people get roped into recreational

opioids after an injury or vital surgery, where they were then prescribed pain medication. This

medication is strong and often leads to addiction and an increased tolerance. People need to

realize that most drug users did not choose to live that way, even if they tried something once.

Addiction is hard to break and by giving users a safe place to consume during their struggles

with addiction, they have better chances of surviving and pushing past it.

Supervised consumption sites are life saving places where the lives of people with

families just like yours are being protected. Although this protection is controversial, it is a vital

aspect for communities that have high rates of recreational drug use. It makes the process safer

for the user and for other people in the community that no longer have to come into contact with

dirty needles or risk finding someone who has overdosed. The only cons about supervised

consumption sites is people’s notions about them, the facts show that they are life saving and

make a positive impact in communities throughout the world.

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Work Cited

“Overdose Prevention Centers.” Drug Policy Alliance,

drugpolicy.org/issues/supervised-consumption-services. Accessed 8 June 2023.

Hunter, Marnie. “The World’s Happiest Countries for 2023.” CNN, 20 Mar. 2023,

www.cnn.com/travel/article/world-happiest-countries-2023-wellness/index.html.

Sutherland, Paige, and Kimberly Atkins Stohr. “Behind Supervised Injection Sites: A

Controversial Solution to Overdose Deaths.” On Point, 28 Sept. 2022,

www.wbur.org/onpoint/2022/09/28/the-u-s-with-supervised-drug-injection-sites-to-comb

at-overdose-deaths.