Seattle's madness continues (Vancouver, Issaquah: apartment, condo, neighborhood)

[Finance2Tech]

The crazy socialists who run this city never cease to amaze me with their utter stupidity. Now, they are going to spend $2 million for a "safe" injection site. How about they actually get these drug using bums off our streets? I know that would be a radical thought for these socialists.

Seattle poised to spend $2 million on safe injection site | KIRO-TV

[fnh]

What exactly would you propose instead?

Honestly I don't feel strongly for or against safe injection sites but they could potentially help prevent the spread of disease, alleviate needles littering the parks and lower EMS costs. Like condoms and sex education in the schools, one doesn't have to condone of teen sex to face that it happens and it's better to minimize the costs to society at large.

[Flightoficarus87]

I'm not 100% thrilled with the idea myself, but if it's successful in accomplishing what fnh states (Getting used needles off the streets/from parks, lower EMS costs, etc), then I may feel a bit differently about it.

The main thing I don't want to see it turn into is a "condoning" of opoid/heroin use that attracts a bunch of outsiders to come shoot up/causes use rates to skyrocket locally. But it may be a good temporary solution to some of the issues from the opiod epidemic. Long term solutions will prove to be a greater challenge.

[thatguy950]

How does this help get needles off the streets, newsflash: drug addicts don’t think rationally and will continue to use any chance they get (“addict” being the keyword). Encouraging them to shoot up under supervision and on the taxpayer’s dime is a terrible idea.

[mhays25]

It sounds bad until you know something.

For starters how about reducing the constant flow of ambulances taking street addicts to the emergency room, with all of those public costs. And needles in parks can be reduced. And there's someone to help them kick the habit when they hit bottom.

It's similar to the drunk apartment building by I-5. Yes bad things are being funded. But we're avoiding the daily hospital trips for the worst people, and saving tons of money.

Seattle goes way too far on many things, but this isn't one of them.

[CrazyDonkey]

If it reduces harm and can more effectively divert users into treatment, I'm all for it. This is only one piece in an effective decriminalization strategy. We need to end the War on Drugs, which, like Prohibition in the 1920s and early 1930s, has been an unmitigated disaster.

[flyingsaucermom]

I feel very NIMBY (not-in-my-back-yard) about this. We had some explosive conversations about it here in Issaquah last week. My husband and I attended a public hearing about it.. 24 spoke adamantly against it, 2 were mildly in favor and 1 was sobbing for one... in Issaquah...

In Issaquah...

Those that spoke against it were varied in perspective, education, exposure and expertise. We had medical professionals trained in treatment argue for more treatment facilities and programs and not just a shooting gallery (shooting heroin that is). We had grandparents and ex-wives/girlfriends of heroin addicts say that they don't want it in our community... that it doesn't/wouldn't make a difference in their loved one's life and that the risks to the community aren't worth it. We had angry tax payer citizens that complained it's not right that our city government would condone the use of illegal drugs. We had one of the co-authors/founders of the I-27 initiative come out and gave all of us an extremely articulated five minutes synopsis of the FACTS regarding not just the safe injection sites themselves, but also what they do to the community around them as well as the legal arm twisting being done by the county and court. He described in detail what InSite in Vancouver is like and how, at best, the impact of the facility is just so-so.

It prompted me to do my own research about it. I got on google maps and I took a "tour". I'm happy to share, if C-D will let me.

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2814072,-123.1013062,3a,37.5y,0.42h,87.99t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sKlX5W6DH4MTOMmF1bBQTMA!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2813936,-123.1005715,3a,90y,29.72h,87.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sjM3XeJjK6LHGF_pkrJEedw!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2824821,-123.0953553,3a,75y,225.22h,82.87t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s9Iu8Zoxr7el8G9dmhate7g!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2821861,-123.0952532,3a,37.5y,311.63h,90.89t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sNnZoSmREzi6WzGbl9EYcYA!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2818765,-123.1025762,3a,75y,311.97h,78.96t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQu0X9jkfDki6qlkzUUt1bw!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

[url]https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2840959,-123.0979903,3a,37.5y,151.61h,88.72t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1savFwubdTY5FTiyOVSa4iaA!2e0!7i1 3312!8i6656[/url]

I save these images to demonstrate the insane contrast between Issaquah and InSite in Vancouver if it comes again here. I cannot believe any professional with a family here would ever find this acceptable.

But Seattle???

Yeah, maybe. The google images of Vancouver look like parts of Seattle. Pioneer Square and the international district might be most appropriate for one.

I honestly don't think it will improve anything, but I don't think it can make those areas worse.

Just keep them out of Issaquah please.

[HuskyDawg]

Wish it had gone to a vote. Understand both sides and respect the views, but cannot agree with enabling Heroin use and paying tax money to do it. Heroin is not a passive drug. Heroin users go to extreme measures to feed their habits. What neighborhood do you want this in?? NIMBY NIMBY NIMBY LABEL all you want. Do you want it by your home? If so, maybe you should write the council and suggest your neighborhood. That'll be really altruistic of you. I have a teenager. What's the message? Don't do Heroin it's deadly, oh but we have these great facilities where you can 'safely' shoot up. Whose liable when someone doses with fentanyl and dies at the facility? Whose liable when someone gets in their car after shooting up and kills someone in an accident?

[dtuba]

Mhays is correct. A safe place to contain hard drug users is way, way less expensive then the revolving door that is the emergency room for these addicts.

I would think you conservative types would be in favor of that.

[tommy64]

It's legal to shoot up but they banned plastic bags in grocery stores.