Supervised injection sites could save lives in Massachusetts, DPH says
BOSTON - The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is supporting controversial supervised injection sites for the first time as deadly overdoses reach record levels.
A new DPH report says there were 2,359 opioid-related deaths in the state in 2022, a 3% increase from 2021 and the most-ever recorded in the state. Now the department is recommending that state leaders take steps to open "overdose prevention centers," which would allow people struggling with addiction to use drugs under medical supervision.
DPH Commissioner Dr. Robert Goldstein said in a statement that overdose deaths are preventable and Massachusetts should "forge a culture of harm reduction."
"We know most overdose deaths occur in private and go unwitnessed," he said. "Overdose prevention centers, therefore, can be lifelines, serving not only as places of intervention, but as places of empathy, understanding, and healing."
What is a supervised injection site - and do they work?
DPH explains that at an overdose prevention center, "people who use drugs can consume pre-obtained drugs under the supervision of trained staff." The site would be stocked with overdose reversal medication, sterile supplies, and first aid. Staff could also refer people at the center to services like treatment for substance use disorder.
According to the report, there has never been an overdose death reported at sanctioned overdose prevention centers around the globe. There are currently two in New York and another is set to open next year in Providence, Rhode Island.
After Vancouver, Canada opened a supervised injection site, overdose deaths fell 35% in a high-use neighborhood, the report says. Advocates say the sites do not result in significant changes to the crime rate, and they reduce harmful behavior like needle-sharing. Also, a 2020 study cited by the report estimated that opening a supervised injection site would result in 773 fewer ambulance rides and 551 fewer emergency room visits in Boston.
Supervised injection sites are controversial in part because they are illegal under federal drug laws. The Philadelphia City Council voted to ban them from opening in the city, with lawmakers saying there are better ways to deal with the opioid crisis.
"The way we do that is through long-term recovery," councilmember Jim Harrity said, according to CBS News Philadelphia. "Not giving them a space where they can continue to harm themselves."
Will Massachusetts open supervised injection sites?
The push for supervised injection sites from the department is a new development. Just six month ago, Goldstein said DPH didn't understand the feasibility of such sites and was looking to study the issue, the State House News Service reports.
Former Republican Gov. Charlie Baker rejected previous calls from activists to establish the sites, saying it would be illegal under federal law. And the former U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts warned in 2018 that supervised injection sites could result in criminal charges.
It's currently illegal in Massachusetts to dispense drugs without authorization. The DPH report highlights legislation on Beacon Hill that would establish regulations for supervised injection sites, and protect providers from possible civil or criminal consequences for simply running or working at an overdose prevention center.
"Without this language, individuals utilizing or participating in OPCs would be exposed to significant legal and professional licensure risk," the report says.
