Safe Injection Sites - Opinions Please

[Torinate]

As the title says...

Now, I’m a very open minded person and I don’t tolerate anything as far as racism or discrimination of any sort. I fully believe that what you do doesn’t have any effect on what I do; I don’t judge so please don’t judge either...

However, just watching the news and I see another new “safe injection site” opening up in a city an hour from me. There’s actually a few sites much closer and even in my town. It’s not the “where” it’s the “why”. As a person in the medical profession, I understand it. I guess I’m just struggling with the whole idea of it. I understand all of the medical, mental health and social reasons for having them. But yet, I still struggle. There’s no question there’s a really issue with addictions and overdoses and COVID has only increased
his. Maybe it’s me and just a personal thing, I don’t know. I do know illicit drugs are illegal.

So I’m thinking, since the push around here is to completely crack down on car meets, illegal exhausts and mods on cars and the number one priority of getting rid of any “street racing”. They even lowered the threshold of speeding over the limit that racing is classified as. Speeding 40km/h (25 mph) over the limit is an automatic racing charge with vehicle being impounded, license suspension and a court date.

Yea, I know, hard to draw similar lines between the injection sites and racing. But in one instance, we’re saying it’s ok to inject yourself with illegal drugs and we’re even going to give you a place and new supplies so you can do it. And the other hand is slamming the door on anyone that wants to meet up in a parking lot and show off their cars. Ok, maybe not ALL meets, just ones with lots of cars.

So I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if they provided safe racing sites or something of that nature? Maybe close off a few of the major streets even once or twice a month and let’s people run out there cars? Sure, combine it with a safety check and sobriety test if need be. Police could patrol it. Charge a fee maybe, even to pay for medical support and an ambulance or two for the time they’re there. If this would slow down or reduce the unsafe street racing it’s a win. It also aids the general population in keeping them out of the way of the knuckleheads that seem to be racing or showing off etc in rush hour traffic.

I don’t know; I see attempts like the safe injection sites to aid that issue. What about some programs etc that would reduce the street racing stuff?

Does this make any sense or am I just being an idiot. If so, tell me. I can take it...

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[Shifting_Gears]

I think there are a lot of issues with the car scene making something like what you're proposing a reality.

The scene is by far, more than ever, inundated with complete idiots who are incredibly reckless and have ZERO regard for anyone's personal safety.

"Takeover" meets and slide shows are all you need to look up on YouTube to see why law enforcement is working to crack down on vehicle/speed/racing violations. Some of my most exciting moments growing up involved street racing, but myself and everyone who was involved did it the right way and didn't conduct it in an environment that was conducive to innocent injury/death should something have gone wrong.

I think a legal street race event would be awesome, but I imagine the sheer liability of taking on such event prevents it from happening.

The focus away from sanctioned racing (drag racing, specifically) is forcing tracks to close. Beyond that, as places expand, homes are build closer to tracks and they're condemned as a "nuisance" due to noise. Well no shit, just don't build next to one and you won't have that issue.


On the other subject, I am pretty much speechless. Living in an area that has a tremendous drug problem, I have seen people dying or dead (hard to tell after a certain point), or attempt to commit suicide due to substance abuse and mental health issues. I have had to step around needles in highly traffic public areas. The zombies that manage to somehow not succumb to a life of extreme drug abuse literally walk around like brainless flesh bags that find more value in begging in order to get their next fix than trying to get clean. It's sad, because society writes these people off. There are programs to help, but those that need it most often don't seek it... so the cycle continues.

 

[Balr14]

Drug addicts can be hard for law enforcement to identify as they are usually concentrated in urban areas nobody gives a crap about, anyway. If you catch one doing illegal drugs, what are you going to do; they have nothing to lose? Street racers are easy to find and easier to prosecute and are usually in areas where they present a danger or nuisance to others.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

Drug addicts can be hard for law enforcement to identify as they are usually concentrated in urban areas nobody gives a crap about, anyway. If you catch one doing illegal drugs, what are you going to do; they have nothing to lose? Street racers are easy to find and easier to prosecute and are usually in areas where they present a danger or nuisance to others.

Pretty much.

The users are only a small part of the equation. It really does nothing to punish them as long as the supply is rolling in, because there are other people that start using every day.

Cutting the supply off is the key, but we see how successful that has been in big cities.

 

[Burkey]

As the title says...

Now, I’m a very open minded person and I don’t tolerate anything as far as racism or discrimination of any sort. I fully believe that what you do doesn’t have any effect on what I do; I don’t judge so please don’t judge either...

However, just watching the news and I see another new “safe injection site” opening up in a city an hour from me. There’s actually a few sites much closer and even in my town. It’s not the “where” it’s the “why”. As a person in the medical profession, I understand it. I guess I’m just struggling with the whole idea of it. I understand all of the medical, mental health and social reasons for having them. But yet, I still struggle. There’s no question there’s a really issue with addictions and overdoses and COVID has only increased
his. Maybe it’s me and just a personal thing, I don’t know. I do know illicit drugs are illegal.

So I’m thinking, since the push around here is to completely crack down on car meets, illegal exhausts and mods on cars and the number one priority of getting rid of any “street racing”. They even lowered the threshold of speeding over the limit that racing is classified as. Speeding 40km/h (25 mph) over the limit is an automatic racing charge with vehicle being impounded, license suspension and a court date.

Yea, I know, hard to draw similar lines between the injection sites and racing. But in one instance, we’re saying it’s ok to inject yourself with illegal drugs and we’re even going to give you a place and new supplies so you can do it. And the other hand is slamming the door on anyone that wants to meet up in a parking lot and show off their cars. Ok, maybe not ALL meets, just ones with lots of cars.

So I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if they provided safe racing sites or something of that nature? Maybe close off a few of the major streets even once or twice a month and let’s people run out there cars? Sure, combine it with a safety check and sobriety test if need be. Police could patrol it. Charge a fee maybe, even to pay for medical support and an ambulance or two for the time they’re there. If this would slow down or reduce the unsafe street racing it’s a win. It also aids the general population in keeping them out of the way of the knuckleheads that seem to be racing or showing off etc in rush hour traffic.

I don’t know; I see attempts like the safe injection sites to aid that issue. What about some programs etc that would reduce the street racing stuff?

Does this make any sense or am I just being an idiot. If so, tell me. I can take it...

I agree with a lot of what you’ve said there but the harsh reality is that people (generally) already have access to safe facilities if they want to thrash their cars. We call it a race track, whether it be a strip, a circuit or a skid pan etc.
Opting NOT to use those facilities on the basis of cost/distance etc. and wilfully endangering other people is not a great excuse quite frankly.

As to whether injection rooms are a solution or a problem, I have no idea. Like you, I see both sides of the coin.

In an ideal world I’d rather see the root cause addressed eg. via intervention but it seems unlikely that it’s going to work in some (most?) instances.

There’s just so many levels to this that really need addressing. The safe injection room is probably more of a graphic reminder of what’s going on in some communities because it’s usually semi-hidden. We normally only see half of it, maybe less.

I honestly can’t take a firm position on it.

 

[lacanteen]

Where do you draw the line? Why not a safe drinking zone for alcoholics? Why not safe brothels for sex addicts? Not being a smart ass, just sayin'.

 

[Cobra Jet]

As the title says...

Now, I’m a very open minded person and I don’t tolerate anything as far as racism or discrimination of any sort. I fully believe that what you do doesn’t have any effect on what I do; I don’t judge so please don’t judge either...

However, just watching the news and I see another new “safe injection site” opening up in a city an hour from me. There’s actually a few sites much closer and even in my town. It’s not the “where” it’s the “why”. As a person in the medical profession, I understand it. I guess I’m just struggling with the whole idea of it. I understand all of the medical, mental health and social reasons for having them. But yet, I still struggle. There’s no question there’s a really issue with addictions and overdoses and COVID has only increased
his. Maybe it’s me and just a personal thing, I don’t know. I do know illicit drugs are illegal.

So I’m thinking, since the push around here is to completely crack down on car meets, illegal exhausts and mods on cars and the number one priority of getting rid of any “street racing”. They even lowered the threshold of speeding over the limit that racing is classified as. Speeding 40km/h (25 mph) over the limit is an automatic racing charge with vehicle being impounded, license suspension and a court date.

Yea, I know, hard to draw similar lines between the injection sites and racing. But in one instance, we’re saying it’s ok to inject yourself with illegal drugs and we’re even going to give you a place and new supplies so you can do it. And the other hand is slamming the door on anyone that wants to meet up in a parking lot and show off their cars. Ok, maybe not ALL meets, just ones with lots of cars.

So I’m thinking, wouldn’t it be nice if they provided safe racing sites or something of that nature? Maybe close off a few of the major streets even once or twice a month and let’s people run out there cars? Sure, combine it with a safety check and sobriety test if need be. Police could patrol it. Charge a fee maybe, even to pay for medical support and an ambulance or two for the time they’re there. If this would slow down or reduce the unsafe street racing it’s a win. It also aids the general population in keeping them out of the way of the knuckleheads that seem to be racing or showing off etc in rush hour traffic.

I don’t know; I see attempts like the safe injection sites to aid that issue. What about some programs etc that would reduce the street racing stuff?

Does this make any sense or am I just being an idiot. If so, tell me. I can take it...

I’m the same mindset as you - nothing bothers me of what you, or the next 200+ people do when it comes to their choices in life. It doesn’t affect me and isn’t paying my bills, so their choice is theirs and mine is mine.

Now on the subject of the “safe injection sites”, they started that shit here in areas of NJ as well. I, like you, also don’t “get it”… at all. Yes, it's those people’s choice to do illegal drugs - but tell me this, if it’s ILLEGAL by State and Federal Laws to be in possession of illegal drugs, why is the State then pushing these “safe injection sites” AND even furnishing the clean needles to users?

How is that helping any of those folks out?

Again, their choice but no matter which way it’s looked at, the State (this one or others) seems to be more or less promoting that it’s ok to do illegal drugs, because here ya go - a safe spot and oh, here’s the means (clean needles) to do it too….

 

[Atlas1]

I live in Washington state so naturally my city is 1) overwhelmed with junkie criminals and 2) overrun with no shortage of apologists for them.
the moral solution to this is not to enable destructive behavior. They need to be forcibly removed and put into treatment programs. Period. Excusing this behavior like all of the bleeding hearts do, does nothing but allow them to live in filth and misery. Go spend some time around people that are in recovery and there’s a common theme………they can’t give enough thanks to those that helped them overcome their demons. You’ll be hard pressed to find a recovering addict that says it’s nice being clean and sober, but I wish whoever forced or helped me get into treatment had just let me be.
The only thing that disgusts me more than the needle programs and safe sites are the brain dead sociopaths that promote them. It’s about as immoral and unethical a plan to treat the issues as one could possibly come up with.

If we must have these horrible sites then we should remove narcan from all first responders. At least let some of them escape their misery and save tax payer dollars at the same time. All injection sites are doing is prolonging suffering, burdening our emergency and health services, and burning tax dollars.

 

[sk47]

If we must have these horrible sites then we should remove narcan from all first responders. At least let some of them escape their misery and save tax payer dollars at the same time. All injection sites are doing is prolonging suffering, burdening our emergency and health services, and burning tax dollars.

Hello; Over the years I have been hearing the reasons for de-criminalizing drug use or even making drug use legal. I do not recall all of the reasons given this moment, but one did make sense.
A little background. When I lived in KY an older couple lived close to me who were my friends. One of their daughters was on drugs so she and her druggie boyfriend robbed their house. That was hard on my friends. That particular story was just a part of the pattern of criminal activity to support a drug habit.

The idea I agree with was that de-criminalizing drugs ought to reduce such crimes. Giving them drugs so they did not have to rob me and others was the idea. If that part is not working out then forget the program.

I also tend to agree with the withdraw of narcan from first responders. Pretty sure the drug users understand they are taking a risk when they take the drug. Near me not too long ago there was an interview with some local first responders. They had revived the same person twice in a short time. It seems the narcan takes away the high.

 

[Atlas1]

Hello; Over the years I have been hearing the reasons for de-criminalizing drug use or even making drug use legal. I do not recall all of the reasons given this moment, but one did make sense.
A little background. When I lived in KY an older couple lived close to me who were my friends. One of their daughters was on drugs so she and her druggie boyfriend robbed their house. That was hard on my friends. That particular story was just a part of the pattern of criminal activity to support a drug habit.

The idea I agree with was that de-criminalizing drugs ought to reduce such crimes. Giving them drugs so they did not have to rob me and others was the idea. If that part is not working out then forget the program.

I also tend to agree with the withdraw of narcan from first responders. Pretty sure the drug users understand they are taking a risk when they take the drug. Near me not too long ago there was an interview with some local first responders. They had revived the same person twice in a short time. It seems the narcan takes away the high.

Happens all the time here. OD, narcan, trip to the hospital, released, OD again all in the same day. How anyone can think that is an acceptable way to deal with the problem is beyond me. I guess they were using a clean needle for the second OD so we at least have that…….

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