‘OMG’: San Francisco Mayor Stuns With Announcement to End Drug Use On the Streets

(Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie (D) sparked a heated debate online this week when he announced that his city will start arresting anyone doing drugs on the streets and place them in a high-volume care facility.

“For too long, San Franciscans have been told that we must choose between clean, safe neighborhoods and compassion for those struggling on our streets,” Lurie wrote on social media, adding:

I ran for mayor because I believed we can—and should—do both. And today, we’re showing that our city doesn’t have to choose between compassion and accountability.

Today, I signed legislation to open the new Rapid Enforcement, Support, Evaluation, and Triage Center—better known as the RESET Center.

The RESET Center allows our officers to arrest those engaged in public drug use at a speed and volume we have never seen before. If you use drugs on our streets, we will arrest you.

But with this new resource, we will also give those suffering from addiction a real chance to choose recovery. The RESET Center is a health-focused facility designed to care for publicly intoxicated individuals by moving them off the streets and into a safe and controlled environment. It provides hope by giving individuals a chance to sober up and be connected to treatment.

Reactions to Lurie’s announcement came in from across the political spectrum with many on the left and right praising the move, while some on the progressive left denounced it as draconian.

Dr. Drew Pinsky, the right-leaning media personality and addiction specialist, shared Lurie’s announcement and wrote, “OMG. This will quickly make a huge difference and immediately save lives.”

Self-described “moderate conservative” Substack writer Michelle Tandler added, “This sounds compassionate and practical.”
Below are some more reactions:

https://twitter.com/Twolfrecovery/status/202424212474551105

And here is a sample of the criticism from the left:

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