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Editor’s Note: An original version of this story incorrectly stated that the Biden administration was considering a plan to provide “crack pipes” to inner cities as part of a “racial equity” plan. A fact check from Snopes said that “News reports in February 2022 grossly misrepresented the facts about a federal harm reduction program.” The outlet added: “After a wave of grossly misleading news coverage in February 2022, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services stipulated that federal funding would not be used to include pipes in safe smoking kits, as part of a substance abuse harm reduction grant program. This newly-stipulated detail was not originally available, meaning the assertions made in a first wave of coverage had become outdated.” We regret the error and have corrected our reporting.
As part of President Joe Biden’s plan to promote “racial equity” the administration is providing funding to help distribute devices that can be used to smoke crack.
The $30 million grant program closed applications in May and will begin in March, and one black Republican Congressional candidate is calling for Joe Biden’s impeachment for it.
The Washington Free Beacon reported.
It “will provide funds to nonprofits and local governments to help make drug use safer for addicts. Included in the grant, which is overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services, are funds for ‘smoking kits/supplies.’ A spokesman for the agency told the Washington Free Beacon that these kits will provide pipes for users to smoke crack cocaine, crystal methamphetamine, and ‘any illicit substance,’’ The Beacon said.
HHS said the kits aim to reduce the risk of infection when smoking substances with glass pipes, which can lead to infections through cuts and sores. Applicants for the grants are prioritized if they treat a majority of “underserved communities,” including African Americans and “LGBTQ+ persons,” as established under President Joe Biden’s executive order on “advancing racial equity.”
Democratic-run cities such as San Francisco and Seattle have distributed smoking kits to residents. Some local governments, however, have in recent years backed away from their smoking kit programs over concerns they enable drug abuse. Louisville, Ky., for example, allowed convenience stores to sell smoking kits but later banned them. Legislators in Maryland ditched their distribution plan after facing backlash from local law enforcement and African-American leaders.
Maryland Fraternal Order of Police President Sgt. Clyde Boatwright said that the government should spend its funds on stopping drug use, not supplying kits to smoke crack.
“If we look at more of a preventive campaign as opposed to an enabling campaign, I think it will offer an opportunity to have safer communities with fewer people who are dependable on these substances,” he said.
But wait, there is more.
The Department of Justice may be open to allowing safe injection sites for drugs such as heroin, the Associated Press reported.
In response to questions from The Associated Press, the Justice Department said it is “evaluating” such facilities and talking to regulators about “appropriate guardrails.”
The position is a drastic change from its stance in the Trump administration, when prosecutors fought vigorously against a plan to open a safe consumption site in Philadelphia. The Justice Department won a lawsuit last year, when a federal appeals court in Pennsylvania ruled that opening such a facility would violate a 1980s-era drug law, aimed at “crackhouses,” which bans operating a place for taking illegal drugs. The Supreme Court declined in October to take the case.
About six weeks later, the first officially authorized safe injection sites opened in New York City in November. The two facilities — which the city calls “overdose prevention centers” — provide a monitored place for drug users to partake, with staffers and supplies on hand to reverse overdoses. New York City is in a different appeals court jurisdiction that has not ruled on the centers.
“Although we cannot comment on pending litigation, the Department is evaluating supervised consumption sites, including discussions with state and local regulators about appropriate guardrails for such sites, as part of an overall approach to harm reduction and public safety,” the DOJ said to The Associated Press.
These new policy ideas were hammered by many on Twitter.
“Is this a cruel joke? Drug overdose deaths are at their highest recorded levels. The Biden administration should focus on stopping traffickers instead of creating more demand for their product,” Sen. Tom Cotton said.
Is this a cruel joke? Drug overdose deaths are at their highest recorded levels. The Biden administration should focus on stopping traffickers instead of creating more demand for their product.https://t.co/xH3Z3VqFfX
— Tom Cotton (@SenTomCotton) February 7, 2022
“I never in my life thought I would have to say this, but the proper role of government is not to fund the distribution of crack pipes. Did Hunter come up with this bullcrap?” Rep. Lauren Boebert said.
I never in my life thought I would have to say this, but the proper role of government is not to fund the distribution of crack pipes.
Did Hunter come up with this bullcrap?
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) February 8, 2022
“President Trump offered Black America the Platinum Plan and the First Step Act. Joe Biden is offering them crack pipes,” black Republican Congressional candidate Lavern Spicer said.
President Trump offered Black America the Platinum Plan and the First Step Act.
Joe Biden is offering them crack pipes.🤷🏾♀️🤦🏾♀️
— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) February 8, 2022
“Y’all trying to tell me that Joe ROGAN is a racist but Joe BIDEN said that the way to fix race relations in America is to hand crack pipes to blacks? You could say the N word 50 times a day and it’s not more racist than what Biden is doing,” she said.
Y'all trying to tell me that Joe ROGAN is a racist but Joe BIDEN said that the way to fix race relations in America is to hand crack pipes to blacks?
You could say the N word 50 times a day and it's not more racist than what Biden is doing.
— Lavern Spicer (@lavern_spicer) February 8, 2022
“We went from the lowest Black unemployment to our tax dollars paying for crack pipes to ship into Black communities. Vote like your life depends on it,” another black Republican Congressional candidate and pastor, Dr. Willie J. Montague said.
We went from the lowest Black unemployment to our tax dollars paying for crack pipes to ship into Black communities.
Vote like your life depends on it.
— Dr. Willie J. Montague (@RepMontague) February 8, 2022
Joe Biden wants to spend $30 MILLION to hand out CRACK PIPES to "minority" communities.
I have never heard something dumber than this in my life.
The day I get to Washington DC, I am filing impeachment articles on this man.https://t.co/ruhwNblhsY pic.twitter.com/CJswVQl0tL
— Dr. Willie J. Montague (@RepMontague) February 8, 2022
“Joe Biden wants to spend $30 MILLION to hand out CRACK PIPES to “minority” communities. I have never heard something dumber than this in my life. The day I get to Washington DC, I am filing impeachment articles on this man,” he said.
