Vermont Needs Overdose Prevention Centers
Act Now
The overdose crisis in Vermont has overwhelmed our public health and safety infrastructure. Our leaders must use every tool in the toolbox to save lives and foster healthier communities. Investments in public health solutions will reverse the growing rates of opioid use and overdose – criminalization and incarceration will not.
Overdose prevention centers are medical facilitates staffed by professionals that provide a clean, safe environment for people to use drugs with access to on-site medical care and without fear of being criminalized. They provide access to sterilized syringes, fentanyl test strips, overdose reversal medications, and other life-saving tools.
In creating a shame-free space where people who use substances can interact with professionals, these centers offer a low-barrier avenue to connect with long-term treatment services that can be essential for harm reduction and recovery. These facilities not only save lives – they also make our communities healthier and safer and lower the cost of public health and safety systems.
We cannot continue to stand by and allow Vermonters to die without trying a proven, life-saving intervention. That is why we are urging lawmakers to pass H.72 to authorize and fund overdose prevention centers in Vermont.
Message recipients:
Your State Senator