Psaki Bristles at Fox News Reporter’s Questions on Federal Funds and ‘Crack Pipes’: ‘This Is A Bit Of A Conspiracy Theory’

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki slammed Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich‘s line of questioning about “crack pipes” in federally-funded drug kits, calling it “a bit of a conspiracy theory.”

The inclusion of “crack pipes”  in harm reduction programs has become a point of great concern in the conservative media ecosystem (but for some reason, glass pipes used for methamphetamine have mysteriously not made it into the headlines).

Heinrich herself raised the issue during a briefing in February, at which time Psaki assured America that President Joe Biden would not be funding free crack pipes.

At Thursday’s press briefing, Heinrich revisited the issue based on new reporting that harm reduction kits still exist and could potentially be funded with federal money but have not been. Psaki shot down the concern and derided it as a “conspiracy theory”:

MS. HEINRICH: And then I wanted to ask — shift gears only slightly —

MS. PSAKI: Sure.

MS. HEINRICH: — to crack pipes.

MS. PSAKI: Okay.

MS. HEINRICH: You said in February that no money from a $30 million harm reduction program would fund distribution of crack pipes in safe smoking kits. The Washington Free Beacon reported that they went to harm reduction facilities in five cities, and all of those facilities had crack pipes in their kits. HHS would not say which programs had applied for funding, and the recipient list is not out yet. So I’m just wondering if the White House can say if any taxpayer dollars paid for these crack pipes.

MS. PSAKI: No federal funding has gone to it.

MS. HEINRICH: And is there any oversight to ensure that when that money goes out for the program, that these organizations will not use federal dollars for crack pipes?

MS. PSAKI: This policy does not allow for crack pipes to be included. I would just note that this is a bit of a conspiracy theory that’s been spread out there. It’s not accurate. There’s important drug treatment programs for people who have been suffering from what we’ve seen as an epidemic across the country, and money is not used for crack pipes.

Among public health experts, glass pipes in safe smoking kits are considered effective at reducing harm by preventing injury and infection.

Watch above via The White House and Reuters.