Colorado’s full House of Representatives has voted 43 to 21 to pass legislation that would allow localities to operate overdose prevention centers (aka safe injection sites).
A safe injection site located in Canada.
Colorado House Bill 1202 was filed by State Representative Judith Amabile along with a massive list of 38 cosponsors (all Democrat). The bill specifies that “a city may authorize the operation of an overdose prevention center within the city’s jurisdiction for the purpose of saving the lives of persons at risk of preventable overdoses.”
The bill states that “Preventable drug overdoses are a public health crisis that impact every Colorado community and are a matter of both local and state concern. For far too long, Colorado has disproportionately favored a criminal justice approach to substance use disorders instead of prioritizing public health.”
It continues: “Overdose prevention centers are proven to save lives and increase community safety. OPCs lead to decreased rates of communicable disease transmission, severely decrease in-public drug consumption, greatly reduce public litter of drug consumption equipment, and, in their surrounding neighborhoods, are associated with reduced crime.”
The proposal now heads to the state’s Senate, where passage would put it before Governor Jared Polis who does not oppose the effort and is unlikely to veto it if given the chance.
House Bill 1202’s full text can be found by clicking here.
