Humboldt County Supervisors reject inclusion in ‘Safe Injection Sites’ bill

EUREKA, CA. – The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors are expressing their disapproval of a controversial ‘Safe Injection Site’ bill.

AB-186 was introduced this year by Assemblymember Susan Eggman, but recently failed in the California Senate. H

However, Assemblymember Eggman has plans to reintroduce the bill next year.

It aims to guide drug users to rehabilitative services, while keeping drugs and needles off the street by dedicating a space to use substances, while under the supervision of medical staff to avoid fatal overdoses.

Eggman originally recommended eight counties have a site, with Humboldt County included.

However, supervisors say no local officials were contacted prior to this inclusion.

“We don’t have the ways and means to support a safe injection site,” said Humboldt County 1^st District Supervisor Rex Bohn, “I’m having concerns on us being a guinea pig on this one. I imagine it’s a good program in a large metropolitan area that can support this, but we don’t have the drug treatment and the facilities.”

At their meeting Tuesday, supervisors will sign a letter addressed to Assemblymember Eggman, requesting Humboldt County be removed from AB-186.

The meeting starts at 9AM in the Board Chambers of the Humboldt County Courthouse.