San Francisco inches closer to adopting drug policy with abstinence as its primary goal

SAN FRANCISCO – Reeling from cause overdose deaths and scenes of radical smoking fentanyl connected sidewalks, San Francisco moved person Thursday to adopting a “recovery first” cause argumentation that sets abstinence from illicit drugs arsenic its superior goal, a connection that has prompted heated statement successful the metropolis that pioneered harm reduction.

Opponents of Supervisor Matt Dorsey's connection accidental its accent connected stopping cause usage alienates those who are not acceptable to quit, portion proponents accidental the metropolis has been acold excessively permissive and making cause usage safer does not assistance interruption the rhythm of addiction.

Dorsey, himself recovering from intoxicant and cause addiction, amended the connection successful his nationalist information committee to clarify that distributing safer-use paraphernalia and linking radical to societal services careless of whether they are utilizing stay captious to the city's response.

But much than an hr of nationalist remark with cheers and boos from some sides underscored conscionable however touchy the contented remains.

“No 1 dies from harm reduction,” Patt Denning said. “People dice from accepted abstinence-based treatments due to the fact that they’re either near retired oregon kicked retired if they don’t comply with abstinence.”

Brendan Harris, who said helium has been cleanable for six years, countered that harm simplification tactics cannot spell connected everlastingly and radical request a steadfast if compassionate propulsion into treatment.

“We can’t conscionable support enabling drugs implicit and implicit again,” helium said.

In caller years San Francisco's nationalist wellness section advised radical who usage drugs to bash truthful with friends to effort to forestall overdose deaths. Critics said that sent the incorrect message.

Mayor Daniel Lurie, who took bureau successful January, has vowed to solve the city's fentanyl crisis. Last twelvemonth much than 600 radical died from accidental overdoses.

He ordered city-funded nonprofits to connection attraction oregon counseling options earlier giving retired definite paraphernalia specified arsenic foil and pipes, and they volition nary longer beryllium allowed to administer those items successful parks and connected sidewalks.

As amended, Dorsey's connection states that the “long-term remission of substance usage disorders for individuals, with the assistance of afloat supported and staffed evidence-based betterment and behavioral wellness services, shall beryllium the superior goal.”

It besides defines betterment arsenic “the process by which an idiosyncratic suffering from substance usage upset strives to marque affirmative changes that go portion of a voluntarily adopted steadfast lifestyle.”

Dorsey said abstention should not beryllium a arguable extremity and it tin mean receiving methadone arsenic portion of a medicine assisted attraction program. San Francisco offers an array of services to assistance radical addicted to drugs, but galore residents lone spot the escaped foil and pipes, helium said.

“We're losing the conflict connected harm simplification erstwhile radical deliberation that’s each we’re doing,” helium said aft the hearing.

The San Francisco Marin Medical Society, which represents much than 3,500 physicians, projected the amendments.

The afloat Board of Supervisors votes connected the connection adjacent month. It is expected to pass, with 7 of the 11 members sponsoring oregon cosponsoring.

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