JASON RANTZ

Snohomish County takes ‘preventative measure’ against injection sites

Sep 22, 2017, 8:15 AM | Updated: Sep 25, 2017, 12:52 pm

Snohomish County...

Snohomish City Council member Nate Nehring. (Contributed)

(Contributed)

Update on Snohomish County safe injection site ban:

The Snohomish County Council approved a ban on safe injection sites in unincorporated parts of its region on Monday, Sept. 25.

The council is encouraging cities, such as Everett, to implement their own bans.  The council argues that safe injection sites for addicts only encourage drug use, and that treatment should be where governments put their energy.

The ban is a six-month moratorium barring any placement of safe injection sites. The council aims to use this time to codify a permanent ban.

Original story:

Snohomish County Councilmember Nate Nehring wants to make certain his community isn’t home to a safe injection site, so he’s proposing an emergency moratorium.

“What this is, is basically a six-month moratorium which says you can’t site any safe injection sites within unincorporated Snohomish County,” Nehring told 770 KTTH’s Jason Rantz. “That gives us the opportunity during those six months to put through a permanent ordinance.”

Health officials approved plans for two sites in King County earlier this year, but multiple municipalities within King County moved to ban sites in response.

There aren’t any proposals for sites in Snohomish County right now, but Nehring says he didn’t want county leaders to be caught off guard.

“It’s more of a preventative measure,” Nehring said. “So what we’ve done here in Snohomish County is introduce this legislation to try to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to us. We want to get out ahead of the game and make sure we’re not having these safe injection sites anywhere near Snohomish County.”

Proponents of safe injection sites argue they would save lives because medical professionals could monitor users to make sure they don’t die of an overdose. Nehring feels there are better uses of county funds.

“I think the issue with safe injection sites is it doesn’t do any treatment,” Nehring said. “It’s just continuing the addiction when you’re taking taxpayer dollars and using those dollars to fund facilities which enables people’s addiction and don’t do anything to try to treat those addictions.”

What would he rather spend the money on instead?

“If we’re going to be spending taxpayer dollars on the issue, I’d much rather see those dollars spent on treatment opportunities for people who genuinely want to turn their lives around,” Nehring said.

The 22-year-old councilmember is expecting the moratorium to pass sometime next week.

Jason Rantz on AM 770 KTTH
  • listen to jason rantzTune in to AM 770 KTTH weekdays at 3-7pm toThe Jason Rantz Show.

Jason Rantz Show

Jason Rantz

Image: The Stevens County Sheriff's Office says it recently received an odd call from a Sasquatch h...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: Sheriff’s office asked legality of hunting Sasquatch in Stevens County

A Sasquatch hunter had an interesting question for the Stevens County sheriff. Is it legal to hunt Sasquatch?

14 hours ago

Image: Children bike past Wilson Elementary in Spokane....

Jason Rantz

Rantz: ‘Racist’ Spokane elementary school’s ‘slaves and hobos’ ignites controversy

After a teacher told students they could dress as "slaves and hobos" for an event, the Spokane NAACP cried foul.

2 days ago

Images: At left, Bellevue Police Department Officer Kevin Bereta is seen in his uniform. At right, ...

Julia Dallas

Bellevue officer injured in VP Harris motorcade recalls road to reclaiming benefits

Bellevue Police Officer Kevin Bereta's life changed while he was on VP Kamala Harris' service detail during her visit to Washington.

2 days ago

permanent supportive housing...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: You’re being lied to about permanent supportive housing in Redmond

Redmond residents rightly push back against permanent supportive housing as a solution for the homeless, as Seattle media get in the way.

3 days ago

WA State Attorney General Bob Ferguson campaigning.  (Photo by Karen Ducey/Getty Images)...

Jason Rantz

Rantz: On crime, Bob Ferguson campaign made its first massive blunder

The Bob Ferguson campaign wants you thinking his top priority is crime. His entire political history says otherwise.

4 days ago

Image: Jason Rantz of AM 770 KTTH is defending his honor against a partisan smear by The Stranger w...

Jason Rantz

Jason Rantz defends his honor against partisan smear by The Stranger

Charles Mudede smeared Jason Rantz in a blog post for the Stranger. It prompted a response from Rantz, who had to defend his own honor.

6 days ago

Snohomish County takes ‘preventative measure’ against injection sites