San Francisco inches closer to adopting drug policy with abstinence as its primary goal

Source: Associated Press

San Francisco inches closer to adopting drug policy with abstinence as its primary goal

By JANIE HAR
Updated 10:24 PM EDT, April 24, 2025

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Reeling from drug overdose deaths and scenes of people smoking fentanyl on sidewalks, San Francisco moved closer Thursday to adopting a “recovery first” drug policy that sets abstinence from illicit drugs as its primary goal, a proposal that has prompted heated debate in the city that pioneered harm reduction.

Opponents of Supervisor Matt Dorsey’s proposal say its emphasis on stopping drug use alienates those who are not ready to quit, while proponents say the city has been far too permissive and making drug use safer does not help break the cycle of addiction.

Dorsey, himself recovering from alcohol and drug addiction, amended the proposal in his public safety committee to clarify that distributing safer-use paraphernalia and linking people to social services regardless of whether they are using remain critical to the city’s response.

But more than an hour of public comment with cheers and boos from both sides underscored just how touchy the issue remains.

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Read more: https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-drugs-abstinence-bba8141eccc7023bcd9de2732ce3a532