Abstract
Exploring the U.S. response to the opioid crisis, this study critically examines supervised consumption sites (SCSs) as a pragmatic approach. The historical framework of the "war on drugs" is scrutinized, highlighting its limitations and the necessity to shift from punitive measures towards more effective harm reduction strategies. Due to escalating opioid-related fatalities and inadequate harm reduction methods, the potential of SCSs is evaluated for short-term intervention. The Department of Justice's (DOJ) role in facilitating temporary measures to enable SCS operations is assessed, underscoring the urgency for a stable legislative framework to comprehensively address the crisis.
This research advocates for embracing supervised consumption sites within a legal structure as a transformative response to the opioid crisis. By offering an alternative paradigm to the current drug policy, SCSs hold promise in reducing opioid-related deaths and reshaping the trajectory of substance abuse interventions.
Recommended Citation
Mary Crevello, The War on Drugs or the War on Drug Users? Supervised Consumption Sites in the United States as a Harm Reduction Strategy to Fight the Opioid Epidemic, 25 Marq. Ben. and Soc. Welfare L. Rev. 115 (2023).
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