What Are Safe Injection Sites?

blankIllegal drug use can have a crippling effect on the drug user, their friends, and their family members. Loved ones often have concerns about both the drug use itself and the environment in which the using takes place. Safe injection sites are becoming increasingly popular around the world as a means to combat some of the dangers of drug use. Despite their relative success, however, they’re still controversial. Learn what safe injection sites are, how they work, and the advantages and disadvantages they offer to drug users.

What Are Safe Injection Sites?

Safe injection sites, also known as overdose prevention sites, supervised injection sites, and drug consumption rooms, offer a clean, safe space for users to inject illegal drugs. Medical staff is on hand to ensure the people using drugs don’t overdose, inject with dirty needles, or find themselves in dangerous situations after they’ve finished their injection. Safe injection sites frequently also have some overdose antidotes on hand, like Naloxone, in case of an accidental overdose.

How Do They Work?

While every safe injection site might have slightly different procedures, most function in a similar fashion. People who need to inject drugs in a safe, supervised environment can bring their pre-obtained drugs to the facility. There, they can inject their drugs using clean supplies while being overseen by medical professionals who are ready to step in should something go wrong. Many safe injection sites also offer access and information to rehabilitation programs, counseling, and other support systems for those struggling with drug abuse and addiction.

What Are the Benefits of Safe Injection Sites?

Safe injection sites offer a host of benefits to drug users. Some of the primary advantages include:

  • Fewer drug-related deaths: With medical supervision, drug-related deaths are nearly non-existent in safe injection sites.
  • Reduction in disease: Since drug users are provided with clean needles and a safe space to use, there’s less needle sharing and risky behavior that can lead to HIV, Hepatitis C, and other diseases.
  • Lower medical costs: With fewer overdoses and diseases in the community, there are fewer emergency room visits and medical interventions, both of which save money.
  • Less public danger: Used needles and other drug paraphernalia are kept inside the safe injection site rather than abandoned in public places.
  • Higher likelihood of treatment: Drug users interested in quitting are more likely to seek treatment from a facility that treats them with respect and allows them a safe space to consider weaning off the drugs.

Are There Drawbacks to Safe Injection Sites?

While safe injection sites come with undeniable benefits, there are still some concerns about the use of safe injection sites, such as the following:

  • Promoting drug use: While many safe injection sites offer counseling and treatment to drug users, the primary goal of the facility is for safe drug use, which could be seen as promoting the use of illegal drugs.
  • Introducing crime: Although addiction is an illness, using illegal drugs is a crime. While unlikely, there’s a concern that with a relaxed approach to this illegal activity, other criminal activity will increase around safe injection sites.
  • Expense: These programs cost money to run, and they can be expensive to keep in operation.

Safe injection sites offer much to think about. With a safe location to use drugs and access to helpful resources, those struggling with addiction can diminish the chances of death and disease while starting on the road to recovery.