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Thursday 3 OcTOber 2019
U.S. judge: Injection sites don’t violate federal drug laws

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A fed- The issue has divided pub- ers on their way to school.
eral judge ruled Wednes- lic officials in Philadelphia “With 70,000 people dying
day that supervised in- and around the nation, al- a year (nationally), you’ve
jection sites designed to though similar sites are in got to do something,” she
prevent overdoses do not use in Canada and Europe. said Wednesday.
violate federal drug laws, Supervised injection sites However, some neigh-
giving advocates in Phila- are also being considered borhood groups and city
delphia and perhaps else- in other U.S. cities includ- council members repre-
where a boost in their ef- ing Seattle, New York, San senting the area oppose
forts to open them. Francisco and Somerville, the plan and have vowed
U.S. District Judge Gerald Massachusetts. to keep fighting it.
A. McHugh said there’s no Under the Safehouse plan, Safehouse lawyers had ar-
evidence that Congress people struggling with ad- gued that it wasn’t clearly
intended 1980s-era drug diction could bring drugs illegal under the Controlled
laws to cover sites where In this June 21, 2019 file photo, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern Dis- to the clinic-like setting, use Substances Act — which
trict of Pennsylvania William McSwain speaks with members of
people could inject drugs the media at a news conference at the U.S. Custom House in them in a partitioned bay regulates the possession,
and have medical help Philadelphia. and get help from nearby use and distribution of cer-
nearby if they need it. Associated Press medical help if they over- tain drugs — to stand near-
“Safe injection sites were dose. They would also be by with life-saving medical
not considered by Con- former Pennsylvania Gov. move forward with plans to counseled about treat- help.
gress and could not have Ed Rendell, all Democrats, open sites across the city. ment and other health ser- McHugh in his ruling
been, because their use believe the program would The Justice Department vices. agreed.
as a possible harm reduc- reduce the city's 1,100 an- appeared likely to chal- “It’s a better option than “The ultimate goal of Safe-
tion strategy among opioid nual overdose deaths and lenge the decision. Deputy having people die in streets house’s proposed opera-
users had not yet entered help steer users into treat- Attorney General Jeffrey A. and alleyways and fields. tion is to reduce drug use,
public discourse,” McHugh ment. Rosen said the department And it will also help the not facilitate it, and ac-
said in his ruling. Rendell helped found the was disappointed and community,” said Debbie cordingly, (the law) does
U.S. Attorney William Mc- nonprofit group that would would “take all available Howland of Drexel Hill, who not prohibit Safehouse’s
Swain, an appointee of Re- run the program, called steps to pursue further judi- lost a daughter to an over- proposed conduct,” he
publican President Donald Safehouse, after the over- cial review.” dose death last year. wrote. The decision come
Trump, had gone to court dose death of a family “Any attempt to open illicit She volunteers several days as federal, state and local
in Philadelphia to try to friend. drug injection sites in other a week in Philadelphia’s authorities pursue billions
block the plan, calling the Ronda Goldfein, a Safe- jurisdictions while this case drug-ravaged Kensington of dollars in legal dam-
goal “laudable” but sup- house vice president, said is pending will continue to neighborhood, and be- ages from pharmaceutical
porters misguided. the group would seek clar- be met with immediate ac- moaned that small children companies that manufac-
Mayor Jim Kenney, District ity from McHugh in the next tion by the department,” have to walk past dirty nee- tured and marketed opioid
Attorney Larry Krasner and few weeks on whether to he said in a statement. dles and “devastated” us- products.q