Former Pa. Gov. Ed Rendell Throws Gauntlet Over Philadelphia Safe Injection Site: ‘Come And Arrest Me’
Former Gov. Ed Rendell, who is on the board of Safehouse, wants to move forward with a facility that would allow drug users to inject under the supervision of medical professionals. There has been a push for the safe injection sites in cities and states, but the movement has run up against federal officials who are adamantly opposed to the idea.
NPR:
Ex Pa. Governor Ed Rendell Stands Up For Supervised Injection Sites
In Philadelphia, a battle between local officials and the Trump administration is heating up. In defiance of threats from the Justice Department, public health advocates in Philadelphia have launched a nonprofit to run a facility to allow people to use illegal drugs under medical supervision. It is the most concrete step yet the city has taken toward eventually opening a so-called supervised injection site. (Allyn, 10/10)
In other news on the crisis —
St. Louis Public Radio:
Opioid-Related Deaths In St. Louis Region Continue To Climb
The number of opioid-overdose deaths in St. Louis and surrounding counties continued to rise in 2017, although the increase wasn’t as steep as in previous years. There were 760 opioid-related fatalities last year in St. Louis, St. Louis County and eight surrounding counties, a 7 percent increase from 2016, according to the St. Louis-based National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence. (Fentem, 10/10)
