Colorado lawmakers consider overdose prevention centers
A new effort to bring overdose prevention centers to Colorado is in front of the legislature as the state continues to deal with a high number of deaths related to fentanyl and other drug overdoses.
These overdose prevention centers are sometimes called safe use or supervised injection sites. They're supposed to be a safe place where people can use illicit drugs, and they're controversial among the recovery community.
House Bill 1202 would give Colorado cities the right to open overdose prevention centers, it wouldn't mandate them.
"In a magical world there'd be no drugs, but we live here and there's one safe thing that people can do today," said Lisa Raville, executive director of Denver's Harm Reduction Action Center.
The centers would not provide drugs, but would give users sterile needles and fentanyl test strips. Healthcare professionals would be there to administer Narcan and other medical help if an overdose occurs. Supporters say this will save countless lives amid the fentanyl crisis.
"We're in the midst of the worst overdose crisis we've ever been in with the most unpredictable drug supply," said Raville.
Similar facilities are already in place in New York City.
"No one's ever died of an overdose in one of these places because there's a trained professional on site to respond and the same cannot be said for Starbucks, alleys, parks, and other business bathrooms," said Raville.
"I hear both sides. I think, for the most part, people working in the field would rather people use safely," said Sandstone Care detox facility Director Cassie Lesniewski. She has reservations about the proposal.
"How would it impact the community around the safe sites? Would we see an increase in crime? Would we see an increase in other behaviors associated with substance use?" Asked Lesniewski, "if we had these safe sites set up would we be endorsing substance use?"
But Lesniewski agrees the centers could save lives.
"Access to resources! The facilities would also be an access point for people to get resources that they need for recovery," Lesniewski said.
In 2018, Denver City Council approved a safe injection site, but the plan never passed the legislature.
"We really need Colorado to finish what Denver started over four years ago and 1,400 drug related deaths ago in Denver," said Raville.
This bill was introduced last week, sponsored by State Representatives Elisabeth Epps and Jenny Willford, and Senators Kevin Priola and Julie Gonzales. It will be discussed in a hearing on March 1.