Thread by @nithyavraman

Deaths among people who are homeless have increased dramatically, in LA and beyond.

These numbers signify an emergency -- a crisis of alienation and despair.

Let’s talk about why this is happening and what we can do. (thread) time.com/5950759/homele…

The leading cause of death among unhoused people in LA has been the same since 2017: overdoses.

Meth is involved most often, but in 2020, the percentage of deaths involving fentanyl more than doubled. Meth is now commonly cut with fentanyl. publichealth.lacounty.gov/chie/reports/H…

Between Sept 2019 and Aug 2020, about 88,000 people in the US lost their lives to overdose. That’s a 27% jump from the previous year.

In CA, the spike was even larger.
npr.org/2021/04/01/983…

The number of meth overdose deaths in LA is a testament to its danger, but also how widespread it is.

Overdose deaths involving meth increased tenfold between 2008 and 2018. Service providers estimate it now makes up 70% of drug use among unhoused people. latimes.com/opinion/story/…

Among all drugs, addiction to meth is particularly tough to address. There are no treatment medications or chemical alternatives. Withdrawal can be extremely painful – and can last up to two weeks.

It’s also very cheap. One hit costs about $5, and the high can last for 16 hours.

LA’s drug treatment programs and facilities are mostly regulated at the county and state level: the city doesn’t have much control over them.

But there are some solutions the city can provide to reduce meth addiction and overdose, and they are familiar ones: shelter and housing.

Meth is widespread in part because it's a remedy for the reality of homelessness.

It helps you stay up during dangerous hours. It warms you in the cold. And it boosts dopamine in conditions where misery can be overwhelming.

That’s why shelter and housing are vital to treat it.

Some of the best treatments we know of for meth addiction are behavioral therapies: interventions that require extensive, long-term care from licensed professionals.

But anything that works requires shelter and housing first. drugabuse.gov/publications/r…

To lower overdose deaths in the short term, there’s legislation waiting to pass the State Assembly that could make a huge impact.

State Senator @Scott_Wiener has put forward #SB57, a bill to legalize safe consumption sites in three California counties.

https://twitter.com/scott_wiener/status/1385266359748075523

Overdose prevention programs are often referred to as “harm reduction,” but they actually save lives.

No safe consumption site has experienced a fatal overdose -- and they actively help navigate users into treatment and care.

I submitted a resolution of support for @Scott_Wiener’s bill to legalize overdose prevention sites in LA and other afflicted counties which is pending adoption at the council.

You can read it here: clkrep.lacity.org/onlinedocs/202…

Substance use can be a difficult issue to address in public policy: advocates are rightfully worried about stigmatizing addiction, especially among the unhoused.

But we can’t act like this crisis doesn’t exist. It requires urgent solutions. We lose lives every day we don’t act.

We’re working on issues like substance use in LA every day, and we’d love to hear your experiences and feedback.

Get in touch with the office at [e-mail], and if you’d like to help out, we’ll find ways for you to plug in!