Harm reduction firebrand Lisa Raville told the Denver City’s Council’s Safety, Housing, Education and Homelessness Committee Wednesday that the city could open a safe injection site without state approval.
Raville maintains that such sites save lives. Because people there don’t use drugs alone, they are at less risk of overdose, especially with trained monitors at the ready with Narcan, the opioid antidote that even works on fentanyl, Raville said. But you can’t revive yourself, she warned.
The Denver City Council approved opening a safe injection site in 2018 pending state approval, Raville said. Raville said New York has been operating a safe injection site without state approval for some time. She said the site has not been cited by either state or federal officials. She said an academic paper is about to be published showing the center did not increase crimer in the neighborhood.
Warrants checked in emergency rooms
Council member Amanda Sawyer said she worries about sending a message of “Come to Colorado to do drugs, it’s totally OK.” Raville said current regulations keep people from seeking treatment. For example, sometimes warrant checks are conducted in emergency rooms after an overose and people end up arrested.