Minnesota has become the second state after Rhode Island to endorse the establishment of overdose prevention centers, as part of the fight against the opioid epidemic, according to the Drug Policy Alliance (DPA). In these centers, trained staff supervise people consuming pre-obtained illicit drugs, providing sterile equipment, fentanyl testing, and links to healthcare, counseling, and social services including drug treatment.
On Wednesday, Governor Tim Walz signed Senate File 2934, the Human Services budget proposal, which includes a requirement that the Minnesota Commissioner of Human Services create safe recovery sites that offer harm reduction services and supplies. As part of the budget, a one-time financial aid of $14 million is earmarked to be distributed annually until 2029, intended to facilitate the launch of safe recovery sites and expand their capacities.
According to Emily Kaltenbach, Senior Director of criminal legal and policing reform for the DPA, this is a “critical turning point” for Minnesota, where a health approach is being chosen over ineffective criminal approaches to respond to the overdose crisis.
It is worth remembering that the country’s first overdose prevention centers were opened in New York City in 2021.
State Officials Are Getting Ready For Marijuana Legalization
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pledged to sign a bill legalizing recreational cannabis. Minnesota becoming the 23rd state to legalize cannabis experts now estimate that the cannabis market in Minnesota could be worth up to a billion dollars.
As officials prepare for the legalization of marijuana, the Department of Information Technology Services (MNIT) has partnered with the Departments of Health and Agriculture, along with the Office of Cannabis Management (OCM), to prepare a “vendor to provide the software required to accept license applications, process applications, issue licenses, and allow licensees to manage their licenses related to Adult Use of Cannabis.” As per the proposal request, officials plan to start processing license applications in May 2024, while retail sales are expected to kick off on January 1, 2025.
Photo: Courtesy of Raghavendra V. Konkathi on Unsplash
