Safe drug injection site recommendations due in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KTVU) - Standing in front of the San Francisco Public Library this afternoon, one man told us he injects drugs three to four times a day.
"Heroin and methamphetamine— sometimes a mix of both," said David Miller.
Most of the time, he says, he shoots up in public.
“It’s not that I want to do it in public. There's nowhere else to do it," he said.
But soon, there may be.
The San Francisco Safe Injection Services Task Force is finalizing its recommendations on whether the city should become the first in the United States to open a place where drug users can shoot up. Medical staff and drug counselors would be on site.
According to San Francisco Supervisor London Breed, recent statements by many on the task force indicate support for the idea. Drug users say they like it too.
"It would be a cleaner environment and less people who are mad at us," she said.
It's unclear how many sites the task force would recommend or where they would go. Some members have suggested putting them in existing drug clinics.
Many residents say they like the idea. But some say they don't.
"I don't think any encouragement of people shooting up is desirable," said David Miller.
The city's health department is expected to present the final recommendations to the board of supervisors in August.
If the idea is eventually approved, the first safe injection site could open sometime early next year.