New York City’s Overdose Prevention Centers (OPCs)—also known as safe injection sites—are facing renewed efforts to shut them down under the new presidential administration.
The two sites, operated by the nonprofit OnPoint NYC, have been open for more than three years in Washington Heights and East Harlem, offering a supervised environment for drug users to consume substances such as heroin and cocaine with medical oversight to prevent overdoses.
At these centers, trained supervisors intervene when users show signs of overdose, most often administering oxygen to stabilize them.
Other harm reduction services include:
- Fentanyl test strips to detect deadly doses
- Medical assistance
- Substance abuse treatment referrals
- Housing and social services
Since opening in 2021, OnPoint NYC says it has intervened in more than 1,700 overdoses, saving lives while offering resources for recovery.
Critics argue that these sites enable illegal drug use rather than helping users seek treatment.
Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis is leading efforts to shut down the centers, calling them harmful to communities.
“They’re encouraging people to use by giving them a community center to do heroin. It’s something that enables addicts rather than helping them,” she said.
Malliotakis has sent a letter to the newly confirmed attorney general, urging the immediate closure of both NYC locations, as well as any other OPCs operating nationwide.
“These heroin injection centers don’t work. In fact, they attract crime and drug dealing to neighborhoods. It just does not make sense, and they should be shut down,” she added.
As the federal government reviews the legality of OPCs, the future of these sites remains uncertain.
Supporters argue that shutting them down could lead to a spike in overdose deaths, while opponents insist that they undermine efforts to combat drug addiction.
With federal intervention now on the table, New York City’s harm reduction approach may face its biggest challenge yet.
