NEW YORK (WCBS 880) — A new pilot program could soon be starting up in New York City, offering those struggling with addiction issues a safe place to inject themselves.
Mayor Bill de Blasio pushed the program Tuesday, saying the time has come to green-light the long-stalled pilot program to open injection facilities aimed at reducing overdoses in New York City.
“I call them overdose prevention centers because I think this gets to the heart of what this is: it is to save lives and, of course, to, in every way, help them towards treatment and support,” the mayor said.
The facilities would prove a safe place for those struggling with drug addition to safely inject themselves using clean needles with supervision.
“We spent real time and energy researching what had happened around this country with nascent efforts, Canada, Europe,” de Blasio said. “We sent, in fact, folks to see the examples.”
It's the first movement on the plan, since de Blasio released a feasibility study back in 2018.
He said the project was stalled due to lack of outside support.
“We couldn't do it without the state being willing to support, and that was the missing link. We did appeal to the state, we didn't get a response,” he said.
De Blasio added that, even as his final days in office approach, he feels now is the time to act.
“I want us to move. We have a new administration in Washington, a new administration in Albany it’s the right time to do something,” he said.
The program, if given state and city approval, would likely begin in just two locations for a yearlong test run.