Harm reduction, overdose prevention bills advance at Colorado Capitol
DENVER (KDVR) — This week at the Colorado Capitol, lawmakers advanced measures surrounding harm reduction and overdose prevention. The bills come after Denver saw a record number of fatal overdoses last year.
FOX31 spoke with Lisa Raville, executive director of the Harm Reduction Action Center in Denver, about the conversations happening at the Capitol and if they could help the state’s crisis.
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Last year alone, 522 people died of an overdose in Denver. Harm reduction advocates like Raville say that is 522 too many, and they believe some changes to state law could bring that number down.
“We have got to be using every data-backed, evidence-based solution available to us,” Raville said about tackling the crisis.
‘This is the worst overdose crisis we’ve ever been in’
Raville said it is time for the state to bring solutions to the table when it comes to drug overdoses in Colorado.
“It’s going to be lather, rinse, repeat. People have used drugs forever and ever and people will use drugs forever and ever,” Raville said. “We just feel like people shouldn’t have to die of a preventable overdose. And those folks in our community that don’t support public drug use — great. We would love to reduce public drug use as well. I want them using here with me, not in alleys, parks and business bathrooms.”
Raville is supporting two measures that progressed at the Capitol this week.
One bill would protect people administering naloxone and decriminalize drug paraphernalia that people receive from one of the state’s 21 syringe programs.
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The other bill would allow cities and towns across Colorado to open overdose prevention centers in their areas. Under the proposal, health care professionals and other trained staffers would supervise drug use and provide clean tools for drug use and testing equipment. A similar bill died in the state Senate last year after passing the House.
“It stalled for a few years. Last year it made it through the House, there was a Senate issue and a governor issue. This year, we are hoping it makes it through the House, we’re hoping it makes it through the Senate. We want to get it to the governor’s desk,” Raville said. “We will never treatment or incarcerate our way out of an unregulated drug supply, ever. This is the worst overdose crisis we’ve ever been in, and quite frankly, it’s a prohibition crisis.”
The new bill could have the same outcome this year, but Raville said the stakes are higher this time.
“It’s not like it’s one great idea versus another great idea. It’s one great idea versus nothing, and right now, doing nothing has got us in the worst overdose crisis with the worst unregulated drug supply we’ve ever seen. And we’re already seeing new stuff off the East Coast,” Raville said about the drug crisis.
Does Gov. Polis support the bills?
The overdose prevention bill could be heard for a final vote in the House as soon as Friday. The harm reduction bill only needs the House to approve amendments before heading to the governor’s desk.
FOX31 reached out to Gov. Jared Polis’ office for comment about where he stands on each bill. A spokesperson for his office released these statements:
HB24-1028: Overdose Prevention Centers: “The Governor has stated he is opposed to this approach, and believes this is not a constructive way to address substance abuse. The Governor is supportive of increasing access to treatment options for Coloradans, including funding for more capital construction to increase the number of beds available.”
HB24-1037: Substance Use Disorders Harm Reduction: “The Governor will review the final version of the bill when it reaches his desk.”
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FOX31 also reached out to Denver Mayor Mike Johnston’s office to see if he would support an overdose prevention center opening in Denver. If the legislation passes at the state Capitol, Denver City Council members already paved the way for a center in the city by overwhelmingly passing an ordinance to do so in 2018.
Johnston’s office had not answered the request for comment as of Thursday evening.
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