Mayor Dinkins calls for opening supervised injection facilities

Former Mayor David Dinkins, a mentor to Mayor Bill de Blasio, has come out in favor of supervised injection facilities, saying the policy, which City Hall has yet to embrace, would save lives.

Dinkins, in a statement made to POLITICO on Friday, said the continuing opioid epidemic made these sites, also called supervised consumption sites, a necessity.

“I have added my voice to the masses of worried citizens over this public health crisis and I urge others to support the proposed pilot of supervised consumption sites as a reduction strategy against drug-induced death,” Dinkins said. “Lives in New York City would be saved by supporting these facilities."

Dinkins, at first, opposed syringe exchange sites, fearing they would encourage drug use, but eventually changed his mind. Needle exchange programs are now given credit for helping to reduce HIV transmission.

“With successes over that previous battle due to our controversial solution in mind, I reiterate my support for and request a similar pioneering commitment from our state and city leadership to [supervised consumption sites] as the next innovative solution,“ Dinkins said. “There is a wealth of evidence from over 100 such programs already operating worldwide.”

“The next step is to establish [supervised consumption site] pilots in the communities that have been more heavily impacted by the opioid epidemic, most of which are found in Black and Latino populated communities,” Dinkins said. “I strongly support establishment of these programs in New York City.”

Read the full article in Politico.