Pubdate: Mon, 09 May 2016 Source: San Francisco Chronicle (CA) Copyright: 2016 Hearst Communications Inc. Contact: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/submissions/#1 Website: http://www.sfgate.com/chronicle/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/388 Author: William Buehlman SAFE INJECTIONS Regarding "Safe injection center or harm reduction folly" (April 8), once again Debra J. Saunders gets it wrong. There's overwhelming evidence demonstrating that safe injection facilities are an effective intervention proven to reduce harm to both the drug user and the community. We need safe injection facilities, and San Francisco should be the first. We need a common sense, public health solution to the legitimate health and safety concerns that arise from people injecting in non-sterile, public places (syringe litter, overdose, disease transmission, etc.). There are dozens of sound scientific studies, published in peer-reviewed medical journals showing that safe injection sites enhance public safety, reduce disease transmission, and significantly promote admission to detoxification and substance abuse treatment. Providing a safe, clean space for injection drug users to administer their substance and dispose of their paraphernalia, we can reduce overdose deaths, soft tissue infections and the associated high-dollar emergency room visits. It's an opportunity for intervention, education and referrals to services. It's time to take a truly progressive approach that is compassionate, safe and exhibits fiscal common sense. San Francisco needs to take the lead with smart public health policy based on empirical evidence, not fear based rhetoric. William Buehlman, San Francisco - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom