Minneapolis council votes to decriminalize drug paraphernalia
The Minneapolis City Council voted this week to decriminalize possession of drug syringes and pipes, a change supporters say will reduce overdose deaths and expand harm-reduction services.
The ordinance targets simple possession and does not make sale or distribution legal. Council members voted to approve the change this week after debating public-health and public-safety impacts.
The episode traces back to a push from harm-reduction advocates who urged local leaders to treat drug use as a health issue rather than a criminal one. City officials say the measure is meant to improve connections to treatment and reduce disease spread, though details on enforcement and implementation remain unclear.
đ Key Facts
- Minneapolis City Council passed the drug-paraphernalia decriminalization ordinance on a 7â6 vote.
- The ordinance would decriminalize possession of syringes and glass pipes unless they contain drug residue; drug possession and public drug use remain illegal.
- Mayor Jacob Frey has not yet signed the measure and signaled concern about open-air drug use, meaning the policy is not yet law.
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