Federal Government Intervenes to Halt Planned Supervised Injection Site in Philadelphia

Bobby Allyn reports:

After months of threats, federal prosecutors in Philadelphia launched a legal challenge on Wednesday against the nonprofit Safehouse, which is hoping to open what would be the nation’s first site where people with opioid addiction can use drugs under medical supervision.

The federal government's intervention in the issue will likely set precedent as cities across the country consider similar facilities. "According to the suit, a supervised injection site would violate a section added to the Controlled Substances Act in the 1980s during the height of the crack epidemic," according to Allyn.

Safehouse is currently fundraising and scouting locations for the site. "If federal officials succeed in court, the momentum behind Safehouse may be lost," according to Allyn.