So-called safe injection facilities offer drug users the ability to take advantage of a clean, medically supervised environment, thus eliminating many risks while additionally offering support for getting clean.

By Jim Clark

An order was put forward at the latest regular meeting of the Somerville Board of Aldermen requesting that that the Director of Health and Human Services report to the Board on the feasibility of situating a safe injection facility in Somerville.

Safe injection facilities are legally sanctioned, medically supervised facilities designed to provide a hygienic and stress-free environment in which individuals are able to consume illicit recreational drugs intravenously and reduce nuisance from public drug use.

They are part of a harm reduction approach towards drug problems. The facilities provide sterile injection equipment, information about drugs and basic health care, treatment referrals, and access to medical staff. Some offer counseling, hygienic and other services of use to itinerant and impoverished individuals. Many programs prohibit the sale or purchase of recreational drugs. Many require identification cards. Some restrict access to local residents and apply other admission criteria, such as only allowing injection drug users, but generally in Europe they do not exclude addicts who consume by other means.

Speaking in favor of the study, co-sponsor of the order Ward 4 Alderman Jesse Clingan told the Board, “There’s been a rash of overdose deaths in the city in the last month. I just think that we need to look at whatever tools we have in the toolbox. What I would say about safe injection facilities is I think the misconception out there that the public has is that active users are getting high, like these are shooting galleries. But these are actually medical facilities where most people are using to get well, they’re not using to get high.”

Clingan went on to explain that the facilities help to prevent overdose deaths and that there has never been a death in a safe injection facility.

“Most of these users don’t have positive interactions,” Clingan explained. “A lot of the time because of the behaviors of addiction. They burn bridges. So oftentimes the compassionate harm reductionist at work in these facilities, the nurses, are really the only positive interaction they can have. And oftentimes will spring people to get into recovery. To get help.”

Clingan pointed out that such facilities also provide a touch point for users to get medical care.

“It would just make sense on a lot of fronts,” said Clingan. “I’ve talked to some of the folks over at the Cambridge needle exchange. They’ve been doing a lot of outreach in the city. It’s a lot of activity around Sullivan Square, a lot of activity in Davis Square. They’re signing up new people. They have a new mobile unit. But they’re actually working with the Board of Health now. They’re not allowed to give out syringes in Somerville, so they can’t actually exchange needles. So a lot of times people have to go over to Cambridge.”

Clingan pointed out that syringes are being found in public parks and other parts of the city.

Ward 1 Alderman Matthew McLaughlin, another co-sponsor of the order, also spoke in favor of looking into the possible benefits of such a program.

“Unfortunately, opiates are still in the news,” said McLaughlin.  Even a decade after these problems started. And the problem has not subsided at all. And I think this sounds outlandish. It sounds like kind of counter-intuitive to assist somebody in using drugs. How is that going to help? But there’s been 75 studies since 2014 that has indicated that this actually helps. This gets people in treatment. At the very least it prevents disease, and it prevents needles being spread around.”

McLaughlin summed up by saying it’s time to be thinking outside the box and consider any possible solution.

The entire Board signed on to the order, which passed without objection and was subsequently referred to Director of Health and Human Services for further study.