Answer Addiction

Tag: San Francisco

  • San Francisco DA Expunges More Than 9,000 Pot Cases

    San Francisco DA Expunges More Than 9,000 Pot Cases

    The move makes San Francisco the first county in California to fully comply with the requirements of the state’s recreational marijuana legalization bill.

    Calling it a “matter of dignity,” San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announced that he will expunge 9,362 marijuana-related convictions—some dating back to 1975—and reduce felony and misdemeanor charges to misdemeanor and infraction, respectively.

    The expungement is a joint effort between the DA’s office and the nonprofit, Code for America, which uses an algorithm to identify eligible cases.

    The move makes San Francisco the first county in California to fully comply with the requirements of AB 1793, a regulation of Proposition 64—the state’s recreational marijuana legalization bill—which required automation of the charge reduction or expungement process for eligible marijuana convictions.

    Prior to Gascón’s announcement on February 25, the San Francisco Chronicle noted that just 23 people petitioned to have their cases reclassified or expunged. The newspaper cited Gascón’s assessment that the low number was due to the difficulty of the process, which required an attorney and took considerable time and effort to complete.

    But the partnership with Code for America, which was launched in May 2018, offered a chance to automate the process by using a computer-based algorithm dubbed “Clear My Record.” Prior to that, Gascón’s office had identified some 3,000 cases eligible for expungement.

    According to the Associated Press, the program quickly determines eligible cases and then automatically fills out the forms required by the court to process expungement. At Monday’s announcement, Gascón said that the work had been completed ahead of the expected timeframe for completion—which was initially set at a year’s time—and under budget.

    “It’s incumbent that we, as law enforcement leaders, continue to evolve how we advance fairness and public safety in our respective communities,” he said. “I hope that our success with Code for America can act as a catalyst for other leaders looking to engage in similar innovative and out-of-the-box methods to reform and rethink what our criminal justice system looks like.”

    Code for America director Jennifer Pahlka said that her organization was already working with several other district attorneys in California to provide the same service for their marijuana cases. 

    Prosecutors in cities across America have already launched or announced similar expungement efforts, including Baltimore, Seattle and Chicago; New York District Attorney Cyrus Vance announced the vacation of more than 3,000 outstanding warrants for misdemeanor and violation cases involving cannabis consumption and possession in September 2018.

    Expungement and reduction of these charges can allow thousands of individuals to pursue housing, job and educational opportunities that in may cases were not available to them because of their convictions.

    “Even convictions from many years ago can have an impact on people’s lives now, and this will ensure that it doesn’t happen,” said Drug Policy Alliance deputy state director Laura Thomas to High Times. “We hope that other prosecutors around the country follow Gascón’s lead.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Some San Francisco IV Drug Users Choose Fentanyl Over Heroin, Report Says

    Some San Francisco IV Drug Users Choose Fentanyl Over Heroin, Report Says

    Harm reduction advocates in the city urge IV drug users who choose to use fentanyl to run additional drug tests to “see what else might be in the mix.”

    The synthetic opioid, fentanyl, currently tops the list of drugs with the greatest likelihood of causing a fatal overdose; more than 18,000 people died from fentanyl-related overdoses in 2017, according to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics. Fentanyl’s lethal potential has been the subject of countless media stories.

    But a recent article on Stateline, the Pew Charitable Trust’s research and analysis blog, reported that some IV drug users in San Francisco’s Tenderloin district are actively choosing fentanyl over heroin.

    City health officials state that a number of factors have contributed to the drug’s popularity, including a low death rate, a degree of transparency among dealers and a sizable supply of the overdose reversal drug Narcan from local health and harm reduction groups.

    While much of the country saw fentanyl enter the illicit drug market in the mid-2010s, it wasn’t widely available in California until 2015. But as the Stateline article noted, the toll taken on California’s drug community—and in particular, on San Francisco IV drug users—wasn’t as severe as the wave of deaths that swept through New England and the Appalachian region.

    Figures from 2016 show that the California death rate that year hovered at 4.9 deaths per 100,000 persons, while the national death rate was 13.3 deaths per 100,000.

    Part of the reason for the lower numbers can be attributed to treatment and prevention efforts. The Stateline blog noted that California expanded Medicaid to low-income adults in 2010 and established a strong baseline of treatment options in subsequent years. San Francisco, in particular, has open lines of dialogue between drug users that help to guide the city’s health policy.

    “San Francisco’s harm reduction community systematically talks to drug users about their preferences and experiences,” said Daniel Raymond, policy director of the national Harm Reduction Coalition. “[They] continuously feed that information to the San Francisco Department of Health, which uses that intelligence to inform its message and overdose prevention strategies.”

    When the drug arrived in San Francisco in 2015, public health and harm reduction groups banded together to increase treatment options, availability to Narcan and drug testing strips, and outreach programs. The drug is also clearly labeled by dealers, so there is less of a chance of accidental ingestion, and its street cost is lower than heroin. As a result, fentanyl is the drug of choice for about half of Tenderloin users, as well as those in some neighboring communities.

    “For drug users, it’s just like you or I making decisions about the products we choose when we grocery shop,” said drug test administrator Kristen Marshall in the Stateline article. “Fentanyl is stronger, you need less of it, and it’s cheaper. So why wouldn’t I, as somebody with limited funds, want to spend my money on something that’s a better value and therefore a better product?”

    To be clear, fentanyl remains a dangerous drug, even more so than heroin. And many Tenderloin drug users avoid it, especially those who overdosed on other drugs laced with fentanyl. But for those that deliberately choose it, Marshall said that a policy of less-is-more appears to work.

    “Use less of it, use it slower, use it with other people, and keep Narcan with you,” she said. “It’s also important to test your drugs. Even if you know you’re getting fentanyl, you need to run additional tests to see what else might be in the mix.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • San Francisco Unveils Safe Injection Site Prototype

    San Francisco Unveils Safe Injection Site Prototype

    Alongside accommodations for drug use, the facilities will offer a range of services geared toward giving clients a chance to get well.

    With the city of San Francisco now closer than ever to opening the nation’s first supervised injection facility (SIF), it unveiled a prototype to show how a real facility will operate.

    The public was invited to view the demonstration, titled Safer Inside, at Glide Memorial Church in the city’s Tenderloin neighborhood from August 28-31.

    San Francisco is not the only city that has fielded the possibility of opening a supervised injection facility, which is prohibited under federal law. However, that’s closer to reality than ever, after final revisions of the bill (AB186) to allow the city to establish a SIF were approved by the state Assembly. AB186 now awaits the signature of Governor Jerry Brown.

    The goal of opening such a site is to keep drug use off the streets, while giving people a safe place to use.

    “I refuse to accept what we see on our streets—the needles, the open drug use, the human suffering caused by addiction—as the new status quo,” said Mayor London Breed in a statement. “Safe injection sites are a proven, evidence-based approach to solving this public health crisis.”

    The San Francisco Chronicle offered a glimpse inside the Safer Inside demonstration. “Clients” who wish to use the facility register upon entering, and are then led to the injection room. They are provided with a “harm reduction kit” containing clean syringes, disinfecting wipes, cotton balls, tourniquets, and “cookers” to cook the drug.

    They may inject at a table facing a small mirror that will allow staff to observe from a distance. “This way, we can check in on them without actually having to invade their space and their privacy,” said Kenneth Kim, clinical director at Glide. Afterwards, clients are ushered to a “chill-out room” where they can ride out their highs.

    Despite the accommodations for drug use, public health officials are most proud that these facilities will offer a range of services geared toward giving clients a chance to get well. Services include meal services, showers, dental care, and mental health and medical referrals, according to the SF Chronicle.

    “The readiness to take that next step or maybe go to recovery can start in a place where there’s dignity and respect and relationships,” said Anel Muller, who designed the prototype facility. “That’s not something that will happen overnight, but once you’re creating those great foundations, it becomes much easier to talk about a lot of different things.”

    The greatest hurdle San Francisco officials may face is the federal government. Last Monday (August 27), US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein reiterated the federal government’s stance on SIFs—declaring them “very dangerous” and that they will “only make the opioid crisis worse.”

    “Because federal law clearly prohibits injection sites, cities and counties should expect the Department of Justice to meet the opening of any injection site with swift and aggressive action,” said Rosenstein.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Safe Injection Sites Get Green Light From California Lawmakers

    Safe Injection Sites Get Green Light From California Lawmakers

    “I am committed to opening one of these sites here in San Francisco, no matter what it takes, because the status quo is not acceptable,” said Mayor London Breed.

    Last week, California lawmakers green-lit a bill that would allow safe injection sites in San Francisco as part of a three-year pilot program. 

    The forward-thinking measure, authored by Assemblywoman Susan Talamantes Eggman and state Senator Scott Wiener, has already enjoyed support from local advocates and lawmakers.  

    “I am committed to opening one of these sites here in San Francisco, no matter what it takes, because the status quo is not acceptable,” Mayor London Breed said Monday. 

    Eggman voiced similar support for the proposed program. “Should we keep trying what has failed for decades,” she said in a statement, “or give San Francisco the choice to try something that we know saves lives, reduces disease, and saves money?”

    The city’s Director of Health Barbara Garcia estimated that San Francisco has more than 22,000 people using IV drugs. 

    Last year, a slightly broader version of the bill stalled in the state Senate. That iteration of the would-be law would have authorized six counties—Alameda, Humboldt, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Joaquin—to participate in the harm reduction program.

    The current version applies only to San Francisco:

    “This bill would, until January 1, 2022, authorize the City and County of San Francisco to approve entities to operate overdose prevention programs for adults that satisfies specified requirements,” the bill reads, “including, among other things, a hygienic space supervised by health care professionals, as defined, where people who use drugs can consume preobtained drugs, sterile consumption supplies, and access to referrals to substance use disorder treatment.”

    The revised version also retools the language, calling it an overdose prevention program instead of a safer drug consumption program. Whatever it’s called, greenlighting the program would not skirt federal drug laws and it’s not clear how the federal government would respond to such a program were it put into effect.

    “People are injecting drugs whether or not we intervene,” Wiener said, according to the San Francisco Examiner. “Safe injection sites provide people with an opportunity to inject in a clean, safe environment, with healthcare personnel available to prevent overdoses, and with an opportunity to offer people addiction, healthcare, housing, and other services.”

    Now, the bill is waiting for a vote in the state Assembly. The last time around, the lower chamber approved the bill 41-33, according to Curbed. 

    If the measure sails through the Assembly this time around, it’ll still need a signature from Gov. Jerry Brown before it becomes law, potentially taking effect at the start of next year.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Addiction Medicine Coming To San Francisco's Homeless Community

    Addiction Medicine Coming To San Francisco's Homeless Community

    The outreach program is a response to the “striking increase” in the number of people who inject drugs in public spaces.

    The city of San Francisco is rolling out a program that will bring buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder, to its homeless community. City officials say it’s time to start meeting this community where they’re at.

    Back in May when the outreach program was introduced, Mayor Mark Farrell told the San Francisco Chronicle, “The consequences of standing still on this issue are unacceptable. Drug abuse is rampant on our streets, and the recipe of waiting for addicts to come into a clinic voluntarily is not working. Plain and simple. So we’re going to take a different approach.”

    Dr. Barry Zevin, medical director for Street Medicine and Shelter Health, who has provided medical care to the city’s homeless community since 1991, echoed the mayor’s sentiment.

    In a new interview with the New York Times, Zevin explained that meeting the homeless where they’re at may expedite the healing process, rather than waiting for them to seek help. He noted that this population, in particular, has a dire need for mental health and substance abuse services, as well as medical care.

    “On the street there are no appointments, and no penalties or judgments for missing appointments,” said Zevin.

    Following a yearlong pilot program, 20 out of the 95 participants were still using buprenorphine under the care of the city’s Street Medicine Team, the NYT noted.

    With a two-year budget of $6 million, the program is setting out with a goal of providing buprenorphine to 250 more people—just a fraction of the estimated 22,500 injection drug users in San Francisco, but a start.

    Zevin noted that there is a concern that the same-day buprenorphine prescriptions may end up being abused, but said that the city is prepared to deal with it on a case by case basis.

    “I do have to worry about diversion, but I want to individualize care for each person and not say that the worry is more important than my patient in front of me, whose life is at stake,” he told the NYT.

    The outreach program is a response to the “striking increase” in the number of people who inject drugs in public spaces.

    “Ultimately, this is about helping these individuals, but it’s also about improving the conditions of our streets,” said Mayor Farrell.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Which US City's Residents Spend The Most On Alcohol?

    Which US City's Residents Spend The Most On Alcohol?

    A recent survey found that residents of one popular US city spend more than $1,000 on alcohol annually.

    People in San Francisco spend more money on alcohol than residents of any other U.S. city—dropping an average of $1,131 per year (or 1.5% of their annual pay) on beer, wine and liquor, according to SF Gate. 

    The finding emerged from data on Americans’ spending on alcohol compiled by Delphi Behavioral Health Group from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Consumer Expenditure Survey.

    The analysis found that nationally, Americans spend $484 per year on alcoholic beverages. Spending on alcohol had increased 56.6% since 1996. 

    However, that doesn’t necessarily mean people are consuming more, according to Matthew Insco, who works at the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

    “(Something) to keep in mind—these figures show how much households spend, not necessarily how much they consume,” he said. “For example, one area could drink less but spend more by buying more expensive types of alcohol.”

    The analysis by Delphi found that wine prices have increased more than 150% since 1996, and beer prices have increased by 61%. 

    “These price spikes suggest that rising costs account for much of the increase in Americans’ alcohol spending: People may not be drinking more frequently, but they’re definitely paying more for the privilege of the pint,” the report noted. 

    The report authors also noted that the average spending could be deceptively low. Given that more than a quarter of Americans don’t drink at all, those who do imbibe are spending more than it seems at first glance. 

    “Assuming that this sober cohort spends no money on alcohol, those who do drink likely spend considerably more than $484 annually on average,” the report said. 

    Adults between the ages of 25 and 64 all spend an average of about $540 annually on alcohol, with older and younger adults spending less. People with master’s degrees or higher spend the largest percentage of their income on alcohol. 

    After San Francisco, Minneapolis and San Diego residents spend the most on alcohol at $852 and $850 respectively. Residents in Tampa, Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta spend the least, at $411, $373 and $291.

    Surprisingly, New York and Chicago residents also have relatively low spending, at $446 and $492. 

    Americans spend more on alcohol than they do on smoking or tobacco. They also spend four times as much on alcohol as they do on reading. 

    “While none of these cities lack for establishments serving or selling liquor, residents spent less than $500 a year on drinking on average,” the report said. 

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • "Clear My Record" Project To Help Expunge 250,000 Marijuana Convictions

    "Clear My Record" Project To Help Expunge 250,000 Marijuana Convictions

    San Francisco is partnering with tech-nonprofit Code for America to expedite the difficult expungement process. 

    A new initiative aims to speed up the process of expunging a marijuana conviction from a person’s criminal record, with the ambitious goal of clearing 250,000 marijuana convictions by 2019.

    It’s only right. Nine states and Washington, D.C. have legalized marijuana for adult use, while 29 states and D.C. allow the medical use of marijuana. Marijuana has already yielded a booming multibillion-dollar industry, with no sign of slowing down.

    Yet, a marijuana conviction can still be a barrier to employment, housing and other benefits.

    “In a human way, when you see the problem up close it becomes a moral imperative to solve it,” said Jennifer Pahlka, founder and executive director of Code for America.

    In January, San Francisco District Attorney George Gascón announced that his office will be retroactively applying Proposition 64—the law that made cannabis legal in California for adult use—to thousands of misdemeanor and felony convictions dating back to 1975.

    Specifically, the DA’s office said it would review, recall and resentence “up to 4,940 felony marijuana convictions and dismiss and seal 3,038 misdemeanors” which were sentenced prior to cannabis legalization in California.

    The initiative will be helped by the Clear My Record program, a project of Code for America, a non-profit organization that uses technology to tackle local issues by teaming up with state and city governments.

    Clear My Record recognizes that the process of expunging one’s low-level and non-violent marijuana conviction “is a very bad one”—bogged down by paperwork, the cost of hiring legal support, and a whole lot of waiting, according to Pahlka.

    Hoping to facilitate this process, Clear My Record has simplified the application process for people seeking expungement with the help of technology. Its goal is to expand the program and ultimately clear 250,000 marijuana convictions by 2019.

    “That number is an estimate assuming we get a certain number of counties to come onboard showing the same sort of leadership that DA Gascón has shown,” said Pahlka, according to Mashable. “And I would think it’s a high likelihood. It’s ambitious and I’m excited about it. I also don’t want to stop there.”

    The ultimate goal is to right the wrongs of the drug war. “While drug policy on the federal level is going backward, San Francisco is once again taking the lead to undo the damage that this country’s disastrous, failed drug war has had on our nation and on communities of color in particular,” said Gascón in his January statement. “So instead of waiting for the community to take action, we’re taking action for the community.”

    Learn how Clear My Record works.

    View the original article at thefix.com