Beto O'Rourke Calls For Drug Decriminalization And Safe Injection Sites In New Plan

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke (D-TX) unveiled a plan on Thursday that promotes a series of harm reduction policies, including decriminalizing drug possession, to tackle addiction and prevent overdoses. He also discussed aspects of the proposal with reform advocates at an event in Iowa.

The 2020 Democratic presidential candidate said that in order to address a rise in misuse of opioids, as well as other illicit drugs like benzodiazepines and methamphetamine, the country must move away from the criminalization model and embrace policies that treat addiction as a public health issue.

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That means removing criminal penalties for drug possession and implementing harm reduction programs, he said.

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Here are two of the main harm reduction proposals in the new plan:

“Creating needle exchanges and supervised consumption sites where people can consume drugs they have obtained elsewhere in a controlled setting, under the supervision of trained staff, and with access to sterile injecting equipment.”

“Implementing innovative models for health care and interventions related to substance use disorder such as that used in Portugal, particularly mobile vans that travel to areas of high consumption to distribute medicines or needle exchanges, where individuals caught with drugs are sent to treatment instead of jail.”

Read more: https://www.marijuanamoment.net/beto-orourke-calls-for-drug-decriminalization-and-safe-injection-sites-in-new-plan/