The Rhode Island General Assembly is sending a bill to the governor's desk to renew the state's pilot program authorizing a supervised illegal drug use center.
Rhode Island became the first state to sanction the so-called harm reduction center in 2021, but the proposed facility in Providence has not opened yet.
“Not only do harm reduction centers severely mitigate the chance of overdose, they are a gateway to treatment and rehabilitation of people with substance abuse disorder,” said Representative John Edwards. “This program, which has seen so much success over the globe, is just getting started in Rhode Island. These locations will be under the supervision of trained medical staff who can direct addicts toward substance use disorder treatment. It’s a way to tackle this epidemic while saving lives in the process,” said Edwards.
Edwards says harm reduction centers are a gateway to treatment and rehabilitation, and they severely mitigate the chance of an overdose
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