Gov. Gavin Newsom vetoed a closely-watched bill Monday that would have allowed San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles to open supervised drug use sites in an effort to curb the states rising opioid overdose rate.
Instead, the governor called for Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly to join with with city and county officials to study minimum standards and best practices for overdose prevention programs.
Newsoms decision against Senate Bill 57, announced just hours ahead of the legal deadline for a veto, will almost certainly be seen by supporters as a retreat from his commitment to progressive California policies. It is also likely to heighten speculation that his possible aspirations as a Democratic presidential candidate might have compelled him to row back support for an idea he was very, very open to when he ran for governor in 2018.
Approval of the five-year pilot program would almost certainly have been used by Republicans against Newsom, who is up for re-election in November.
It would also have provided fresh material for national GOP attacks on Newsom an outspoken critic of governance in red states such as Texas, Florida and Alabama as an enabler of legally sanctioned drug dens. The term is intentionally used to conjure images of 19th-century opium dens or more contemporary crack houses where drugs are sold or made.
The bill received broad support from public health groups like the Drug Policy Alliance and California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives, both of which co-sponsored it with Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco. All but a handful of Democrats favored it and pushed Newsom to sign amid heavy opposition from conservatives. ... Wiener, the bills author, called the veto tragic and a huge lost opportunity on Twitter.
We dont need additional studies or working groups to determine whether safe consumption sites are effective, Wiener said in a statement. We know from decades of experience and numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies that they work.
Safe consumption sites have been in operation around the world for approximately 30 years, with great success and literally zero overdose deaths, he added. These sites are a proven strategy to reduce overdose deaths, pressure on emergency rooms, and public drug use, while expanding access to drug treatment. ... Outside of the U.S., such sites are not a new phenomenon. Research shows that they are a cost-effective method for reducing overdoses and other related public health issues.
Proponents say they do not promote drug abuse but are places where people can safely use illicit drugs under medically trained staff, rather than on their own in dangerous public settings far away from medical care. These centers also assist people in obtaining addiction support services.
California would have been the third state to authorize these sites, also called overdose prevention projects. Rhode Island was the first to legalize them in 2021, but a center has yet to open. New York state opened two in 2021. Officials reported that within the first few months of operation, staff prevented more than 150 overdoses.