BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A bill to create safe injection sites across California is waiting for a signature from Governor Newsom. If signed by the governor, Senate Bill 57 would allow safe consumption drug sites to open in San Francisco, Oakland and Los Angeles. The facilities would be staffed with clinicians who can administer life saving overdose drugs. Similar clinics are already operating in Rhode Island and New York City.
Critics say it’s the wrong approach to curb illegal drug use. Supporters, however, say the sites are a humane and realistic response to the opioid crisis and have a proven track record of getting users into treatment as well.
We wanted to know: Are safe injection sites a good idea?
An overwhelming amount of respondents, 83%, disagree with the notion that safe injection sites are a good idea.
Yes. They’re doing it anyway. This way, at least, they’ll be monitored given life saving treatment. The clinicians can work on getting them into treatment.
Susan Kulstad, Facebook user
This bill will do nothing but enable these addicts. Nothing good will come out of this. Using our taxpayers money to fund something like this is a shame.
Melissa Vega, Facebook user
Just because it works everywhere else doesn’t mean it will work here.
Rodney Westfall, Facebook user
This is a non-scientific poll conducted by 17 News. It is posted to KGET’s social media sites daily for varying amounts of time at varying times of day. Viewers can vote more than once. It is not representative of Kern County as a whole.