The Church Of Safe Injection: Advocates Handing Out Naloxone, Syringes Find Legal Loophole In Religious Protections
Harm-reduction advocates have come up with a strategy to circumnavigate laws that would impede them from helping people addicted to opioids use the drugs more safely: setting the organization up as a church.
Stat:
Recovery Experts Set Up New ‘Religion’ In Maine That May Skirt Drug Laws
The congregation lends structure to a rogue coalition of harm-reduction advocates who work to distribute thousands of syringes — possessing more than 10 is illegal in Maine — as well as hundreds of doses of naloxone. Members of the “church” don’t take that title lightly. The decision to brand the organization as a church could also provide a strange element of legal protection. If [Jesse] Harvey is arrested for his work — and he hopes he will be — he will argue that he was merely carrying out his own First Commandment: harm reduction. (Facher, 12/18)
In other news on the crisis —
Detroit Free Press:
1-Year-Old Treated For 'Possible Critical Overdose' Of Opioids
A 1-year-old Detroit boy is in critical condition after possible ingestion of opioids, police confirmed. The incident took place Monday night on the 9600 block of Coyle on the city's west side. Police were first called to the residence, but were redirected to a local hospital after notice that the child may have ingested some kind of opioid drug, said Officer Holly Lowe. (Kelliher, 12/18)
WTVF:
Study Shows Early Postpartum Opioids Are Linked To Persistent Use Thereafter
Findings published by Vanderbilt researchers have indicated that women who fill prescriptions for opioid pain medications in the early postpartum period are more at risk of developing persistent opioid use. The research was outlined in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and was based off the data gathered from 102,541 women who gave birth while covered by Tennessee Medicaid. The intent of this research was to analyze the mothers' use of opioids after birth whether the child was delivered by cesarean section or by vaginal birth. (12/17)
