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Debate over the 450-foot rule for syringe distribution near schools and playgrounds
0:56:02
ยท
42 sec
Council Member Marmorato expresses strong opposition to allowing syringe distribution within 450 feet of schools and playgrounds, citing concerns for children's safety. Assistant Commissioner Linn-Walton explains that the presence of syringe service programs near these areas is aimed at cleaning up syringes and keeping children safe.
- Council Member Marmorato suggests the distance should be over 1000 feet
- The health department argues that operating near playgrounds allows for syringe cleanup
- There is a fundamental disagreement on the impact of syringe service programs on children's safety
Kristy Marmorato
0:56:02
And I just I just don't understand how you cannot support the 450 rule.
0:56:06
I mean, I think it should be over a thousand feet.
0:56:09
I don't know how you can condone drug use and not support children and children's safety.
0:56:15
What measures are you gonna put in place for these children that are
Rebecca Linn-Walton
0:56:18
in parks and at schools?
0:56:20
Like, how could you, like, expose them to this?
0:56:22
These are children.
0:56:23
They're innocent.
0:56:24
Yeah.
0:56:25
And so part of what we wanna be doing by operating maybe near a playground is picking up syringes to keep them safe.
0:56:32
So those are I I apologize because you had come in after we started talking about all the services that the syringe services programs provide, but a lot of what they do is do cleanup in communities when they send their outreach teams out.
0:56:42
And so their main goal is to clean