Pubdate: Sun, 01 Jan 2017
Source: New York Post (NY)
Copyright: 2017 N.Y.P. Holdings, Inc.
Contact: http://www.nypost.com/postopinion/letters/letters_editor.htm
Website: http://www.nypost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/296

COUNCIL CANDIDATE SLAMS POSSIBILITY OF HEROIN INJECTION FACILITY

A Brooklyn Republican who has his sights set on a City Council seat
slammed the lawmaking body Sunday for bankrolling a feasibility study
on whether to open injection facilities for heroin addicts.

"It's basically a taxpayer-funded shooting gallery for heroin junkies
to allow them to legally shoot up," Bob Capano told John Catsimatidis
on his 970 AM talk show Sunday.

"Any funds spent on this issue should be focused on breaking the
addicts' dependency on drugs, not taking a step that basically
decriminalizes the use of heroin."

The City Council hasn't actually bankrolled injection facilities, but
allocated $100,000 in September to examining whether such facilities
would help prevent drug overdoses and the spread of disease associated
with IV-drug use.

The facilities would also provide medical supervision to drug addicts
while they shoot up.

Capano, an adjunct political science professor at John Jay College, is
running for the Bay Ridge Council seat now occupied by Democratic
Councilman Vincent Gentile, who won't run for re-election because of
term limits.

In a reference to President-elect Donald Trump, Capano said voters are
now hungry for "outsiders" to be involved in government.

"I'm the only candidate on either side of the aisle running for this
open seat in Brooklyn that has actual real world experience in the
private sector," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Matt