NEW YORK — As the death toll from opioids skyrockets in New York, the role of supervised drug injection centers in reducing fatalities has been a key focus of attention.
The center on 126th Street in East Harlem opened in November 2021 as the nation’s first, along with another OnPoint NYC location in Washington Heights. Their purpose was to curb deaths. At the center, users bring their own drugs for use under the supervision of staff, and advocates say it’s a lifesaving model that should be replicated across the country.
But resistance — both on the local and national level — has been strong.
