MYNORTHWEST NEWS

King County prosecutor: Trump, Sessions wrong about safe injection sites

Feb 16, 2018, 8:42 AM | Updated: 8:43 am

safe injection sites...

A mural encourages people to pick up the overdose antidote Narcan at a nearby "safe injection site" on the east side of downtown Vancouver, Canada. (AP Photo/Jeremy Hainsworth)

(AP Photo/Jeremy Hainsworth)

The latest schism between Washington and the federal government could be over safe injection sites. King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg says the Northwest may face a legal battle.

“It’s really a very blunt instrument that they’re using to threaten a public health intervention,” Satterberg told KIRO Radio’s Dave Ross. “That’s the part that irritates all of us. This administration has done nothing about the crisis that killed 65,000 Americans last year, and now they are rattling their sabers to stop some innovations that public health officials think might work and save lives.”

RELATED: Why Vancouver BC is investing more in safe consumption sites

That “blunt instrument” is a legal statute called the “crack house statute.” It originated in the 1980s and was designed to deter building owners from allowing people to use their properties for drug profiteering, or places where drugs are sold, Satterberg explained. It’s what governments on the East Coast have been faced with after federal attorneys ordered them to stop efforts to create safe injection sites. Vermont is currently facing off with a US attorney over the issue.

Safe injection arguments

Satterberg says that if one U.S. attorney will act against safe injection sites, it is likely that others will, too — even in Washington state. Seattle and King County are currently considering two such facilities. But he argues that the crack house statute does not apply to safe injection sites, which do not sell drugs. Their purpose is entirely the opposite of a profiteering crack house, he said.

“It’s the purpose and intent of a safe consumption site to reduce the harm associated with drug use, including fatal overdoses,” he said. “But it’s more than that. We’ve had needle exchanges for more than 40 years. This is a needle exchange plus medical intervention.”

The sites also provide staff who are trained to treat overdoses. They also are designed to connect addicts with medical treatment for their addictions. U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration fails to understand some basic fact around safe injection sites, Satterberg said.

“They need to look at the evidence,” he said. “This administration doesn’t have much regard for science, but there have been extensive studies on the 90 safe consumption sites already working in Europe, and Canada, and all over the world. And it’s proven to be an effective place; for that connection to be made between a medical professional and a drug user who may want help. The evidence is there, they are choosing not to look at it. And they are using it for political purposes.”

MyNorthwest News

Spanaway woman shot dead...

Kate Stone

Search for shooter continues after woman shot dead while driving in Spanaway

A 47-year-old woman was shot dead in Spanaway, causing her to hit another driver head-on early Wednesday morning.

31 minutes ago

nintendo redmond...

Frank Sumrall

Nintendo to lay off 86 Redmond employees this spring

Nintendo of America is laying off 86 contract workers in Redmond, beginning May 25, due to company reorganization.

1 hour ago

Everett boy missing...

Frank Sumrall

4-year-old Everett boy missing, police worried he’s in danger

Police and Search and Rescue crews are looking for a missing four-year-old boy they suspect could be in danger.

3 hours ago

Image: The awnings of a store advertise the sale of lottery tickets, including Mega Millions and Po...

Steve Coogan

Lottery jackpots update: Powerball prize jumps again after $1.1B Mega Millions win

A lottery jackpots update: The Powerball prize reached an estimated $935 million ahead of Saturday night's drawing.

12 hours ago

Photo: The Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center....

James Lynch

King County’s plan to close youth detention center met with fierce backlash

The King County Law and Justice Committee received a final report on Executive Dow Constantine's plan to close a youth detention center.

14 hours ago

Image: A cargo ship is stuck under the part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after ...

Associated Press

Authorities identify 2 bodies recovered at site of Baltimore bridge collapse

A major bridge in Baltimore snapped and collapsed after a container ship rammed into it early Tuesday, and several vehicles fell into the river below.

15 hours ago

King County prosecutor: Trump, Sessions wrong about safe injection sites