Newsletter

Important news:

Veterans turn a corner with new VA Syringe Services Program

The VA's Syringe Services Program (SSP) started their harm reduction services because a veteran experienced complications from reusing a syringe. Now, SPP has now launched in Danville, Orlando, Cincinnati, San Francisco, Puget Sound, and Chicago, providing syringes and naloxone, as well as comprehensive addition and medical care.

More information on safer drug use can be found at this link. https://www.hiv.va.gov/patient/ssp.asp.

Past Updates:

On February 7th, 3 people were found dead from suspected fentanyl overdoses in San Francisco Bay area.
In his State of the Union Address, Biden emphasized a law he passed last December that eliminated the requirement that medical providers obtain an X-waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, a pain killer that reduces opiod cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine and take-home methadone doses can now even be prescribed via telehealth.
Unfortunately, only 10% of primary care providers in the U.S. were certified to prescribe buprenorphine from 2007-2017.
Biden stated that his plan to decrease fatal overdoses is:
- To disrupt the distribution of fentanyl; Customs and Border Protection has seized 15,000 pounds of fentanyl, and the Drug Enforcement Administration was involved in the seizure of over 26,000 pounds of fentanyl in 2022, including 50.6 million fentanyl-laced counterfeit prescription pills
- To expand access to evidence-based prevention, harm reduction, and treatment programs; the Biden-Harris administration has allowed for $50 million for local public health departments to purchase naloxone (common name Narcan)

Local Organization Highlight: Berkeley Free Clinic

Mission: to treat patients using a harm reduction philosphy that supports them in making their own choices without feeling judged. They believe healthcare is a basic human right and should not be connected to profit.
Services: They offer free TB skin tests, STI resources and treatment, dental services, vaccinations, vision screenings, and more.
Donate: https://www.berkeleyfreeclinic.org/donate

What Can You Do?

Educate yourself on overdose prevention and engaging people who use drugs by taking an online course by the National Harm Reduction Coalition.
Volunteer with/donate to a Bay Area harm reduction organization (Berkeley Free Clinic, Berkeley NEED, HEPPAC, etc.).
Write your local representative and advocate harm reduction based programs like safe consumption sites, syringe exchanges, education on naloxone use, etc.
Take this quiz to pick up free Narcan and fentanyl testing strips from UC Berkeley ASUC.