I agree with Sen. Mark Miloscia that opiod drug abuse is a very serious problem, requiring many different public health approaches to combat. However, I strongly disagree with his sponsorship of S.B. 5223, a bill that prohibits the establishment of an experimental program for safe injection sites. Sen. Miloscia’s aggressive advocacy for this bill has even recently included requesting that the U.S. Department of Justice intervene to block implementation, should the pilot program allowing safe injection sites in a limited number of locales in Washington state be approved. Regarding public health care policies, I place more trust in the advice and recommendations of health care professionals rather than legislators and politicians. The implementation of safe injection sites and the availability of the overdose-reversing drug Naloxone have reduced drug overdose deaths and saved lives in other countries. Seattle King County public health professionals support the trial implementation of safe injection sites. Sen. Miloscia has long advocated to prohibit abortion and, more recently, also the death penalty for serious crimes. His support of S.B. 5223, unfortunately, leads me to question if the sacredness of every human life is indeed such a high moral priority for Sen. Miloscia.

Joy Werlink, Auburn