I wrote previously about a secret safe consumption site that has been providing services in an undisclosed location since 2014. The harm reduction organization operating it has agreed to share its data with researchers providing the researchers keep the name and location of the site confidential. This is because the federal “Crack House Statute” makes safe consumption sites illegal in the U.S.

The researchers published their first report in 2017. They reported that in the site’s first 2 years of operation there were 2,574 injections among more than 100 participants, most of whom were injecting heroin at the time. There were two overdoses that were reversed by staff. There were no violent incidents, and the site was well-accepted by the surrounding community.

The research team published follow up data in the New England Journal of Medicine in July 2020. There were 10,514 injections through 2019, with 33 overdoses over the 5‑year period—all of which were reversed. They reported that the types of drugs changed over that period, with combinations of opioids and stimulants comprising 5 percent of injections in 2014 and 60 percent of injections in 2019.

Last week, in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, the researchers provided insight into the site’s effect on emergency department and hospital utilization. They found that facility users were 27 percent less likely to visit emergency departments. Facility users had 54 percent fewer emergency department visits. They were 32 percent less likely to be hospitalized and spent 50 percent fewer nights in the hospital. There were 494 participants enrolled in this study. They concluded:

Our findings support the use of SCS in the USA to reduce the growing burden of acute care service utilisation related to injection drug use.

Last November, New York City opened two safe consumption sites despite their federal prohibition. More are planned. Last summer Rhode Island’s governor signed a bill authorizing safe consumption sites in the state commencing in early 2022. A harm reduction organization in Philadelphia has been fighting the U.S. Justice Department since 2019 in its quest to establish Safehouse in the Kensington District of the city. Current Justice Department officials have not yet responded to the events in Rhode Island and New York City.

Hopefully, as evidence continues to accumulate supporting the potential of safe consumption sites to reduce harm, Congress will repeal the “Crack House Statute” so the U.S. can join Canada, Europe, and Australia and let these facilities to reduce harm from illicit drug use.