Friend,

We just made history! Today Mayor de Blasio announced that New York City will open the first official overdose prevention center pilots ever in the United States.

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This lifesaving win comes after years of hard-fought advocacy led by the Drug Policy Alliance and our allies. And the need is greater than ever: new data shows overdose deaths at a record high with more than 2,000 in New York City and more than 100,000 nationwide in just a year.

Thank you for helping us make this unprecedented victory possible – it will save countless lives and invigorate other efforts to open overdose prevention centers across the country.  

What Are Overdose Prevention Centers? 

Overdose prevention centers (OPCs) are safe spaces for people to consume pre-obtained drugs in controlled settings under the supervision of trained staff and with access to sterile consumption equipment, tools to check their supply for the presence of fentanyl, and connections to health care, counseling, and referrals to health and social services, including drug treatment. Learn more: [link removed]   

Studies from other countries have shown that these centers greatly reduce the number of overdose deaths. Despite overwhelming evidence of the benefits of OPCs and more than 120 operating around the world, none have existed in the U.S. due to legal barriers and misguided drug war hysteria. That’s why today’s win is so historic. 

The Drug Policy Alliance Made This Victory Possible.
 
It’s been a difficult fight decades in the making, but DPA has been at the forefront of advocating for OPCs in the United States as a critical component of curbing the overdose crisis.  

We began our campaign in New York in 2015, when there was little support among the public and lawmakers. Despite the obstacles, we kept up the pressure along with our coalition through consistent organizing, educating, and lobbying. In 2016, Ithaca Mayor Myrick became the first elected official in NY to voice support for OPCs. The first statewide bill for OPCs in New York was introduced in 2018. And by the spring of 2018 we had convinced Mayor de Blasio, the NYC Council, and the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene to endorse creating pilot OPCs in New York City. All our work paid off and now NYC is set to open the first official OPC in the nation!  

Overdose deaths are preventable but the drug war has blocked the adoption of lifesaving solutions like overdose prevention centers. This has led to skyrocketing overdose deaths marked by extreme racial disparities among Black and Latinx people, despite similar rates of use across racial and ethnic groups.  

New York is leading the way by becoming the first place to move forward with this lifesaving pilot program. But we won’t stop there. 

With your continued support, we’ll build on our momentum with similiar efforts to establish overdose prevention centers in other cities and states across the country. 

Sincerely,

Kassandra Frederique
Executive Director

and

Melissa Moore
Director, Civil Systems Reform

The Drug Policy Alliance depends entirely on private donations to fund our work to end the war on drugs and promote new drug policies grounded in science, compassion, health, and human rights. Your support is crucial – thank you!

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