Pierce County Drug Consumption Site Ban Moves Forward

PUYALLUP, WA - The Pierce County Council is moving closer to passing a resolution banning supervised drug consumption sites in unincorporated areas, a measure sponsored by members Pam Roach and Jim McCune, "to protect the public health, safety, welfare, and interest of the citizens of unincorporated Pierce County."

The measure will be heard in a committee meeting Monday, and is up for final consideration during the Council's April 3 meeting. The ban would be preemptive since no private or public agency has proposed opening a site - also called CHELs, community health engagement locations - in Pierce County.

King County is planning to open two CHELs, one in Seattle and one in another city with a large population. But some cities - Renton, Bellevue, Federal Way - have already moved to ban CHELs.

If passed, Pierce County's resolution would not immediately ban CHELs. The council's resolution asks the county Planning Commission to review the issue and consider changing zoning code to prohibit CHELs.

Proponents of CHELs say the sites would prevent overdose deaths. The sites would be staffed with medical professionals who could help overdose victims, or provide resources for addicts to quit using drugs.

According to the state Department of Health, 694 Washington residents died in 2016 of an opioid overdose. Between 2012 and 2016, 423 died in Pierce County alone, the third-most behind King and Snohomish counties.

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