Take Action: Governor Cuomo Can and Must Save Lives

After an aggressive campaign from advocates like you, Mayor Bill de Blasio finally endorsed his support for piloting four NYC Overdose Prevention Centers, also known as supervised consumptions services, in May. And back in 2016, Ithaca Mayor Myrick introduced the Ithaca Plan, which also voiced support for an overdose prevention center pilot.

Governor Cuomo signaled his support months ago, but he has still not authorized the Department of Health to let Overdose Prevention Centers move forward to help prevent needless overdose deaths.

Lives are on the line. Tell Governor Cuomo to take action immediately on Overdose Prevention Centers to save lives and connect people with care.

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Your Message

Subject Support safer consumption spaces to save lives

Dear Governor Cuomo,

Message Body

In May, Mayor Bill de Blasio announced that he is moving forward with piloting four safer consumption spaces, also known as overdose prevention centers, as a strategy to combat the overdose crisis. Mayor de Blasio’s embrace of safer consumption spaces is a critical step forward in preventing overdose deaths in New York City. And back in 2016, Ithaca Mayor Myrick introduced the Ithaca Plan, which also voiced support for an overdose prevention center pilot.

You signaled your support for these centers during the Gubernatorial debate, but you have not yet authorized the Department of Health to let Overdose Prevention Centers move forward to help prevent needless overdose deaths.

I urge you to immediately take action and authorize the Department of Health to move Overdose Prevention Centers forward in New York. New York can and must be a leader now in saving lives by opening safer consumption spaces swiftly.

We know that safer consumption spaces are an evidence-based solution that can help dramatically in saving lives, reducing criminalization, and improving public health. Nearly 100 safer consumption spaces exist around the world. They have been rigorously evaluated and shown to steeply reduce overdose deaths, HIV and viral hepatitis infections, and public disorder, and to increase access to drug treatment and other healthcare. Millions of injections having taken place at some of them, yet not one overdose death has been documented in these facilities.

Momentum for safer consumption spaces is building across the country, with officials in Philadelphia announcing their plan to create Comprehensive User Engagement Sites (CUES), effectively safer consumption spaces, at a press conference this January. Last year, San Francisco’s city health officials signaled their intent to move forward on safe injection sites and Governor-elect Gavin Newsome is a vocal supporter. Kings County in Washington State has been approved to open an SCS. Maryland, Vermont, Maine and Massachusetts have all introduced legislation to approve the sites and in California the legislature passed a bill authorizing pilots this year. Beyond academic research, a growing body of editorial boards and opinion pieces have highlighted the need: New York Times, Washington Post, USA Today, US News, Huffington Post, Baltimore Sun, Seattle Times, Bloomberg News, LA Times, The Nation, and the Boston Globe.

The American Medical Association (AMA) voted to support the development of pilot safer consumption spaces. The New York Academy of Medicine and Massachusetts Medical Society also both publicly support safer consumption spaces, and the Journal of the American Medical Association published a review of research supporting safer consumption spaces. In April 2017, more than 100 New York City healthcare professionals signed an open letter in support of safer consumption spaces, urging elected representatives to adopt them as a public health intervention to prevent overdose deaths.

I hope you will lead the way to save lives in New York by supporting and quickly implementing safer consumption spaces.

Sincerely,

[First Name] [Last Name]
[Your Address]

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