BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) – The opioid epidemic has killed nearly 1,000 people in Vermont since 2019 and has made many residents feel their communities are less safe. Lawmakers in Montpelier appear likely to pass a bill in the next few weeks authorizing a pilot program with two overdose prevention centers.
The proposal comes during an ongoing national debate about sites. Do they save lives and open the door to recovery for people addicted to drugs who are ready to quit? Or does their inherent permissiveness send the wrong message about drug use and create new public safety dangers?
As Vermont officials consider whether the strategy could work, Seven Days spent an afternoon earlier this month visiting OnPoint, which runs several overdose-prevention centers in New York City.
Ike Bendavid spoke with Seven Days’ Kevin McCallum, who reported on the visit in this week’s issue.
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