Scattergood_Establishing Sanctioned Safe Consumption Sites in the United States_Web
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Challenges to Implement<strong>in</strong>g SCSs<br />
Exhibit 4 lists several of <strong>the</strong> major challenges to implement<strong>in</strong>g SCSs identified by<br />
participants. One of <strong>the</strong> most commonly mentioned challenges <strong>in</strong>volves f<strong>in</strong>d<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />
right location for an SCS. This <strong>the</strong>me encompassed neighborhood resistance and<br />
identify<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> right physical space. The issue of physical space overlapped with<br />
uncerta<strong>in</strong>ty about <strong>the</strong> enforcement of 21 USC Section 856, <strong>the</strong> Crack House Statute,<br />
which prohibits operation of spaces for <strong>the</strong> use of illegal substances. 30,31 Participants<br />
anticipated landlord reluctance to rent to entities that would operate an SCS, limit<strong>in</strong>g<br />
location options. Also related to <strong>the</strong> Crack House Statute were broader concerns<br />
about <strong>the</strong> federal response, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g concern about <strong>the</strong> risk of asset seizure faced by<br />
established providers serv<strong>in</strong>g people who use drugs if <strong>the</strong>y opened an SCS and <strong>the</strong><br />
withhold<strong>in</strong>g of federal fund<strong>in</strong>g from local jurisdictions that sanction SCSs.<br />
Several participants identified major challenges <strong>in</strong> build<strong>in</strong>g trust <strong>in</strong> communities<br />
of color that have been disproportionately affected by punitive drug policy through<br />
<strong>the</strong> War on Drugs. In three locations <strong>in</strong> which communities feel cont<strong>in</strong>u<strong>in</strong>g effects<br />
of punitive drug policy, participants expressed strongly that efforts to advocate for<br />
SCSs should ei<strong>the</strong>r be preceded by or clearly framed as part of an effort to confront<br />
<strong>the</strong> racially unjust impact of punitive drug policy. Without this fram<strong>in</strong>g, SCS adoption<br />
appeared to some community members as privileged treatment of white people who<br />
use drugs. 32 O<strong>the</strong>r challenges identified by participants <strong>in</strong>cluded f<strong>in</strong>anc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> SCS,<br />
bureaucratic delays, reluctance of <strong>in</strong>cumbents to endorse SCSs <strong>in</strong> an election year,<br />
and o<strong>the</strong>r legal issues, such as protect<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> professional licensure of providers who<br />
might work at <strong>the</strong>se facilities.<br />
“O<strong>the</strong>r cities are <strong>in</strong>terested, but we haven’t answered<br />
<strong>the</strong> key question of how to protect <strong>the</strong>m from federal<br />
<strong>in</strong>tervention.”<br />
<strong>Establish<strong>in</strong>g</strong> <strong>Sanctioned</strong> <strong>Safe</strong> <strong>Consumption</strong> <strong>Sites</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>United</strong> <strong>States</strong>: Five Jurisdictions Mov<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Policy Agenda Forward 16