IT’S COMPLICATED –
Jan. 18, 2024 – People will be asked questions during a screening process and may be referred to a doctor, said Cedric Akbar, the director of Positive Directions Equals Change, an addiction treatment center.
“Almost 30% of the people now who receive general assistance from The City, self-identify as such that they have a substance use disorder,” said Breed. “We know that number is definitely lower but they’re admitting that they have a problem.”
The goal of the proposition is to address substance use issues among the population while paving the way for better access to treatment for those who need it, Breed said.
“What I am hearing time and time again is San Francisco, this compassionate city, makes it too easy for people to be out there on the streets, using drugs,” she said. “We make it too hard for people to get into treatment, and we need to change that because we are making San Francisco a destination for those who suffer from addiction.”
Breed said that putting the proposition on the ballot was out of her “comfort zone” but a move that would ultimately benefit those in recovery for addiction in The City.
