Upstate New York mayor wants space where addicts can inject heroin safely

[KamaAina]

http://abc7ny.com/news/upstate-mayor-wants-space-where-addicts-can-inject-heroin-safely/1213361/

The mayor of Ithaca wants his city in upstate New York to host the nation's first supervised injection facility, enabling heroin users to shoot illegal drugs into their bodies under the care of a nurse without getting arrested by police.

Canada, Europe and Australia are working to reduce overdose deaths with these facilities, but in the United States, even the idea of creating a supervised injection site faces significant legal and political challenges....

"My father was a drug addict. He split from the family when I was 5, 6 years old," the mayor, now 28, explained in an Associated Press interview. "I have watched for 20 years this system that just doesn't work. We can't wait anymore for the federal government. We have people shooting up in alleys. In bathroom stalls. And too many of them are dying."

Myrick said he will ask New York's Health Department to declare the heroin epidemic a state health crisis, which he said would enable his city to proceed without involving the state legislature. The mayor described his proposal to the AP ahead of a formal announcement planned for Wednesday.

Of course, this is Ithaca, which has its own community currency.

[catnhatnh]

1. Will the local PD

Still arrest people outside the injection center for nickle bags of grass and give them a police record??? I'm bettin' you can FORCE marijuana to be a gateway drug if the consequences are made more serious than mainlining horse...

[hollowdweller]

2. My local feed store had to stop selling syringes

For animal vaccinations so many junkies kept buying them and then OD'ing or coming staggering out of their bathroom.

A lot of the local restaurants really have to police their restrooms to keep people from coming off the street and shooting up and either OD'ing or getting blood all over their restrooms.

Talking WV here.