Comprehensive Drug Reform Bill [Vetoed; Failed]

[Ebowed]

I'm really undecided on the Safe Injection Sites, though. Could the bill's sponsor provide some example of the effectiveness of such programs?

There are only a few safe injection sites in the world (I believe in San Francisco, maybe Sydney as well).  There has been no evidence to suggest that they increase drug use and they have also prevented hundreds of fatalities from overdoses.  Not a single death has ever occurred at a safe injection site.

[Ebowed]

Really? I could have sworn hearing about safe injection sites in both in Canada and Austria.

You're right.  I think SFO might just be considering it:

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safe_injection_site

[Ebowed]

We have a choice between safe injection sites ("subsidizing drug use") and keeping with the status quo of preventable overdoses, disease contraction, and other serious and potentially fatal medical problems within the highly neglected drug using community.

I recommend reading up on British Columbia's SIS, Insite:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insite

453 overdoses have been treated and resulted in 0 deaths.

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http://www.vch.ca/sis/research.htm

[Ebowed]

Nay!!!

[Ebowed]

Nay

[Ebowed]

Aye

[Ebowed]

With 7 ayes, the amendment passes.

[Ebowed]

I encourage all of the Nay voters here to suggest how exactly they plan on both reducing drug use and making the lives of drug users safer.

[Ebowed]

The result is 5-5.

With the time for changing votes having passed, the legislation is tied.

I cast a tiebreaking vote in favor.


With 6 votes in favor, and 5 votes against, the bill has passed and is presented to the President for his signature.