City-funded programs will no longer be allowed to distribute supplies used for drug consumption unless individuals receive treatment counseling or are connected to services, Mayor Daniel Lurie announced on Wednesday.
The new policy will take effect on April 30 and applies to drug use supplies used for smoking, such as foil, pipes, and straws, and sterile syringes. Smoking supplies will also no longer be able to be distributed in public places, but needles will still be able to be distributed in public spaces, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
“The status quo has failed to ensure the health and safety of our entire community, as well as those in the throes of addiction. Fentanyl has changed the game, and we’ve been relying on strategies that preceded this new drug epidemic, which ends today,” Lurie said in a statement. “Our new policy will connect individuals to treatment quickly, and that is a big step toward reclaiming our public spaces.”…