Seattle Considering ‘Mobile Drug Injection’ Van to Help Drug Addicts

Although little has been heard about this since the summer, in June the Seattle City Council actually discussed doing this.

Providing a mobile drug injection van that would allow users to inject Heroin and other opiates in a 'safe' enviornment. Some Council members are even suggesting providing certain drugs for the users, to prevent them from possibly dying due to tainted or 'unsafe' substances.

Some of the councilmembers claim similar units in other cities not only protect users, but provide medical personnel the chance to provide them with information and resources on how to kick their habits. The success rate of any of these programs was not discussed by these councilmembers, if indeed there is any.

According to KIRO Radio, this subject has come up again this month because of Seattle's exploding vehicle burglary problem. Due to the city's homeless issues, street drug use is skyrocketing, and in order to obtain money or drugs, users are breaking into vehicles to steal and sell items. Vehicle break in is now the number one reported crime in Seattle. The city refuses to prosecute most drug cases, and police say most of the car vandals are not arrested because the courts won't penalize them.

At a council meeting on June 7th, the council explored the idea of a 'safe injection van unit.'  For years the Health Department has utilized this large medical unit in areas where homeless people are most commonly found, to attend to their needs. But at the cost of several million in taxpayer dollars, this van, or one like it, would be modified as a 'safe drug shoot up' facility. To find out more about this idea, click here.