In a victory over a decade in the making, New York City has become the first place in the United States to open overdose prevention centers (OPCs). This unprecedented win, which will save countless lives, follows years of advocacy by the Drug Policy Alliance, VOCAL-NY, and other harm reductionists with radical visions.
 
“This is not just a win for New York City but for our national movement to inspire people’s imaginations. It shows that it’s possible to build an approach to drugs that embraces people’s dignity and wellbeing – without fear, stigma, or criminalization,” said Kassandra Frederique, DPA’s executive director, on Tuesday – after the first OPCs were announced. “From San Francisco to Boston, from Seattle to Philly, from courthouses to statehouses, each year we came closer and closer to seeing a legal overdose prevention center open, but our ultimate goal was always painfully thwarted in the end. Until today.”
 
OPCs – also known as supervised consumption sites – provide a safe space for people to consume pre-obtained drugs, without fear of arrest, under the supervision of trained staff. They provide people with access to sterile equipment and tools to check their supply for the presence of contaminants, such as fentanyl. OPCs also provide a crucial access point for people to receive healthcare, counseling, and referrals to social services – including drug treatment. 
 
The need for OPCs in New York City is more urgent than ever. There were 2,062 overdose deaths in New York City in 2020, an increase of 37% from 2019, and the highest figure since records began.
 
OPCs have been operating in Europe since the 1980s and in Canada since 2003. There are over 120 sites operating worldwide. With our win in New York City, we anticipate more jurisdictions in the U.S. embracing this crucial tool. In addition to preventing and reducing overdose deaths, studies show that OPCs also increase enrollment in drug treatment services, reduce nuisances associated with public injection – such as discarded needles and public intoxication, and save public resources. Millions of injections have taken place in existing facilities, yet not one overdose death has ever been documented in these facilities.
 
New York City's two OPCs – the Washington Heights Corner Project and New York Harm Reduction Educators – are now operating in Manhattan, and will be forming a new organization – OnPoint NYC – to run the sites.