According to the CDC (2019a), SSPs provide sterile injection
equipment, including needles, syringes, and other injection material, to
PWID and collect and dispose used injection litter to limit the unclean
injection litter in public, thus reducing the overall health risk of
infectious diseases. At the same time, SSPs distribute Naloxone (an
opioid overdose reverse medication), provide screening and treatment
for blood-borne diseases and other health issues, and refer PWID to
other social support, such as detox treatment and mental health
consulting. The CDC (2019a) recommends SSPs as an efficient way to
reduce the transmission of blood-borne infectious diseases and help
PWID to seek medical care earlier, thus enhancing public health and
saving community resources.
The term “SIS’s” also refers to safe injection facilities or overdose
prevention centers. Besides providing the same harm reduction services
as SSPs, SISs also provide a space where PWID can use their own drugs
under professional health staff supervision. SIS’s bring positive impacts
on overdose prevention and infectious diseases control, reduce
inappropriate injection litter disposal and public injection, save
community resources, and promote more PWID engaging with harm
reduction care.
For SISs, the most significant action for PWID is life-saving by
preventing overdose. Potier, Laprévote, Dubois-Arber, Cottencin, and
Rolland (2014) asserted that the SIS’s play an important role in reducing