Legislation to fund overdose prevention centers has been passed by Vermont’s full House of Representatives.
Vermont State House.
House Bill 72, filed by State Representative Taylor Small along with 28 cosponsors, would establish a pilot program that would lead to the creation of several overdose prevention centers, sometimes referred to as safe injection sites. If the measure is approved by the Senate and signed into law (or allowed to become law without a signature) by Governor Phil Scott, Vermont would join Minnesota and Rhode Island as states with similar pilot programs.
Under the proposed law overdose prevention centers would be locations, staffed by medical professionals, where those addicted to illegal substances can legally use their drugs in a supervised environment. These centers would offer support and treatment services to those addicted to drugs.
Specifically the measure would allocate $2 million to create two overdose prevention centers, while allocating another $300,000 in order for researchers to study the impact of the two centers.
Proponents of the measure say it’s meant to combat the rising increase of overdose deaths. For example, overdoses have increased by around 500% between 2010 and 2022.
The proposal includes a provision stating that an overdose prevention center would be placed in a city “only upon an affirmative vote of the legislative body of the municipality.”
Vermont legalized marijuana in 2020, with the state’s first licensed marijuana store opening in 2022.
