Safe Injection Sites are Bad for California

Commentary by Roger Morgan

California AB186, which attempted to legalize safe injection drug sites, was fortunately vetoed by Governor Brown.  In so doing he proclaimed “…..enabling illegal and destructive drug use will never work. The disadvantages of this bill far outweigh the possible benefits.”  Based on actual experience at similar sites in Canada, one can easily agree. While the stated intent of the bill was to reduce overdose deaths, experience in Toronto showed a 63% increase (303 deaths) from 2016 to 2017. In all of Ontario, there were 1,265 overdose deaths in 2017.

British Columbia has had the same outcome, with a 61% increase in overdose deaths from 414 to 780 overdose deaths for the first nine months of 2017. In all cases of safe injection sites, it created a neighborhood filled with criminal activities, drug addicts, drug dealers, homeless people and abandoned needles. The same could be expected in San Francisco if a safe injection site is allowed. California already has a huge homeless problem. We can’t afford more. We applaud the Governor’s decision to veto this bill, but now we are equally concerned about Gavin Newsom, who is threatening to reverse this action if he becomes governor.

During most of his time as Lt. Governor, Newsom led the effort to legalize marijuana, another dangerous drug. In so doing he violated his oath of office and traded his inherent responsibility to protect the people for campaign financing for his political future. The money came largely from instate drug money and out-of-state billionaires with evil intent. Together they spent $33 to $35 million to get voters to buy the lie that Prop 64 would be beneficial to this state.  In reality it has the potential to destroy California. Should Newsom become governor, he will be working for those who are marketing addiction to our youth, not the people. This poses a dire threat to our youth, natural resources, public safety and the future of our once great state.

Marijuana doesn’t kill by overdose, but it is the first drug used by almost all overdose victims. One should remember as well that overdose isn’t the only cause of death, and death isn’t the only adverse outcome of marijuana use. Traffic fatalities are a good example. Unlike alcohol and other drugs, marijuana stays in the body and brain for a month, compounding with additional use. Traffic deaths owing to marijuana impairment have doubled wherever pot is legal. People aren’t even safe on the sidewalk.

Marijuana alone causes psychotic breaks leading to gruesome acts of violence, permanent brain damage leading to loss of IQ, mental illness, addiction, suicides, myriad physical harms and DNA damage that can cause physical and mental abnormalities in the next four generations. It is the gateway to other drugs; to crime, homelessness, mental illness, suicides and enormous public health costs at taxpayer expense.

Governor Brown made the right decision in the interest of protecting the drug addicts and the communities destined to house injection sites. Gavin Newsom’s pledge to overturn that decision is just one more reason why he is not qualified for public office …. at any level.

Roger Morgan is the founder and director of the Take Back America Campaign, a drug prevention program. Visit their website, tbac.us.