Podcast: Fight Drug Abuse With Safe Injection Sites? Dr. Lynn Webster

By Cameron English and Lynn Webster — May 12, 2026

Drug prohibition hasn't worked. Illicit opioids continue to kill thousands of Americans each year, and the problem grows worse as the illegal drug supply becomes increasingly toxic. With such a lackluster track record, is it time to consider a more radical solution to the overdose epidemic? ACSH science advisor and addiction medicine specialist Dr. Lynn Webster joins us to discuss safe injection sites—medically supervised facilities where addicts can use drugs—as a tool to reduce overdoses. Is this a sensible public health intervention, or a dangerous policy that enables destructive behavior?

Facilities at a safe injection sites in Strasbourg, France, taken in November 2016

Image: Wikipedia

Join Drs. Chuck Dinerstein and Lynn Webster and host Cam English on the Science Dispatch podcast as they discuss:

‘Safe Drug Sites’ Haven’t Failed. Federal Policy Has

Supervised consumption sites have become a flashpoint in the debate over how to address the opioid crisis, often framed in stark terms of success or failure. But the evidence tells a more complicated story: these sites are neither a panacea nor a proven failure, and evaluating them requires a clearer understanding of scale, access, and policy constraints.

Listen to the Science Dispatch on iTunes Spotify, Stitcher and Google Podcasts. Or add the RSS feed to your favorite podcast app. Join our Dispatch newsletter to get these stories and more delivered to your inbox.

Tags:

Cameron English

Executive Vice President

Cameron English is a writer, editor and co-host of the Science Facts and Fallacies Podcast. Before joining ACSH, he was managing editor at the Genetic Literacy Project.