Assemblyman Phil Palmesano has co-sponsored legislation that would prevent supervised heroin injection sites across New York State.
Manhattan Democrat Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal sponsors competing legislation which would authorize New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio to open four supervised injection sites in New York City. Mayor Svante Myrick has called for a fifth site in Ithaca.
It’s a move that has drawn heavy criticism from both sides of the political aisle.
Palmesano says the answer to the heroin epidemic is ‘not more heroin’, and added that heroin injection sites would only make the problem worse.
His concern: Increasing access to detox, treatment beds, and full-circle follow-up care for those suffering from addiction.
Other states have approved variations of ‘supervised’ sites, with differing rules and regulations surrounding them.
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