Multnomah County pauses plan to hand out tinfoil, straws to drug users
By Web staff
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PORTLAND, Oregon (KPTV) — Multnomah County is pausing plans to distribute tin foil, straws and glass pipes to active drug users, according to the county.
The county health department issued the following statement on Monday afternoon:
“After discussions with Chair Jessica Vega Pederson today, the Health Department will be pausing the distribution of safe smoking supplies, effective immediately. For the time being, our focus will be on expanding our legal analysis to deepen our confidence and assurance in the scope of our operations. Additionally, we are collaborating with the Chair’s Office and the full Board of County Commissioners to establish resources and communications to support the public’s understanding of the roles of harm reduction in our communities.”
“The Health Department remains confident that a robust harm reduction approach is essential to supporting our community, including people who use drugs, their loved ones, and individuals who experience the secondary and tertiary impacts of drug use in our community.”
“This work is in alignment with an extensive body of public health research, as well as the American Public Health Association, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Institutes of Drug Addiction, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and many of our peer public health jurisdictions across the nation.”
On Friday Multnomah County defended the plan, saying the distribution wouldn’t encourage starting on drugs.
“Syringe access does not mean that people will start injecting, just as offering condoms does not encourage young people to start having sex,” Multnomah County said.
The resources would have included things like tin foil and straws for opioid users, glass pipes for those who use methamphetamine or crack or snorting kits with spoons, straws and even a surface.
The plan received a large backlash including from Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez.
Wheeler said in a tweet that he adamantly opposes distributing paraphernalia to encourage a drug that is responsible for 190 overdoses a day in the United States.
Gonzalez echoed Wheeler on Saturday, posting on Twitter that, “…little to no consideration is given to the impact on the surrounding community as long as an initiative is centered on the “client” – the homeless, the criminal, or the addict.”
Since 2019, Multnomah County has given out syringes and offered testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The county says it’s seen a big decrease in the use of syringes in recent years, and a rise in smoking and snorting.
Multnomah County confirmed a pause to the program shortly before 4 p.m. Monday.
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