Philly bans supervised injection sites

+ House speaker fight reflects obstructionist politics US Edition - Today's top story: Philadelphia bans supervised injection sites – evidence suggests keeping drug users on the street could do more harm than good [View in browser]( US Edition | 19 October 2023 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Hamas attack derails Saudi efforts to ‘de-risk’ region]( - [More high school students taking college classes]( - [AI to prevent food spoilage]( Lead story A record-high 109,000 Americans died from drug overdoses in 2022. Some of the country’s largest open-air drug markets can be found in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood. The city has a plan to deal with the crisis, but the city council recently passed legislation – over the mayor’s veto – to ban supervised injection sites. In this, Philly is not an outlier. Only New York has allowed the establishment of places where drug users can come off the street and use drugs under the watchful view of medical professionals. Since evidence of the effects of such sites in the U.S. is scant, a group of researchers from Drexel University and the University of Oslo looked to Europe to evaluate how they affect [overdose deaths, community life and even property values](. Also, The Conversation U.S. team has been meeting this week in Boston to see colleagues face-to-face and plan for the year ahead. Since we won’t be editing as many stories as usual, we’ve included a selection from [“The Conversation on Guns,”]( the latest in our Critical Conversations line of books published in collaboration with Johns Hopkins University Press. We also have books on [“Gender Diversity”](, [“Water”]( and [“Biotechnology”](, with more on the way. Emily Costello Director of Collaborations + Local News A registered nurse treats Dominic Rodriguez for a skin injury related to xylazine use in Philadelphia in May 2023. Treatment vans are allowed in the city, but not supervised injection sites. Matt Rourke/AP Photo [Philadelphia bans supervised injection sites – evidence suggests keeping drug users on the street could do more harm than good]( Jordan Hyatt, Drexel University; Jannet van der Veen, Drexel University; Synøve Nygaard Andersen, University of Oslo; Tony Joakim Ananiassen Sandset, University of Oslo A group of academics look at the global evidence to examine the potential impact of supervised injection sites in Philadelphia and the US. Politics + Society - [House speaker paralysis is confusing – a political scientist explains what’s happening]( Charles R. Hunt, Boise State University In the 1850s, a fight over the speakership took nearly two months and 133 rounds of voting. But for nearly a century, the majority party in the House has unanimously supported its leader. No longer. - [Saudi plans to ‘de-risk’ region has taken a hit with Gaza violence − but hitting pause on normalization with Israel will buy kingdom time]( Kristian Coates Ulrichsen, Rice University A decade of de-escalation among Gulf states could be at risk if Israel-Hamas violence spills across region. And that could threaten Saudi plans to transform the kingdom. Health + Medicine - [New treatment for postpartum depression offers hope, but the stigma attached to the condition still lingers]( Nicole Lynch, Purdue University; Shannon Pickett, Purdue University Half a million new mothers in the US suffer from postpartum depression every year, yet a lack of awareness and stigma toward the condition keep many from getting the help they need. Education - [Dual enrollment can save college students time and money − but there’s one risk to avoid]( Mary L. Churchill, Boston University More high school students are taking college courses while still in high school. But equity gaps exist, with Black and Hispanic students participating at lower rates. Science + Technology - [Rancid food smells and tastes gross − AI tools may help scientists prevent that spoilage]( Carlos D. Garcia, Clemson University; Lucas de Brito Ayres, Clemson University Pantry food can go bad if exposed to oxygen, but an AI model might help develop more effective preservatives and keep food fresher for longer. The Conversation on Guns - [Five types of gun laws the Founding Fathers loved]( - [How easy access to guns at home contributes to America’s youth suicide problem]( - [5 ways to reduce school shootings]( - [The lasting consequences of school shootings on the students who survive them]( - [There are historical and psychological reasons why the legal age for purchasing assault weapons does not make sense]( - [Why do gun-makers get special economic protection?]( Trending on site - [Hamas was unpopular in Gaza before it attacked Israel – surveys showed Gazans cared more about fighting poverty than armed resistance]( - [What is a virtual power plant? An energy expert explains]( - [Decades of underfunding, blockade have weakened Gaza’s health system − the siege has pushed it into abject crisis]( Today's graphic 📈 [El Niño forms when surface temps in the tropical Pacific Ocean are about 0.5°C (0.9°F) above average for three months. It becomes strong around 1.5°C (2.7°F). La Niña is the reverse, with temps cooler than normal. The chart shows the three-month rolling average.]( From the story, [What is a strong El Niño? Meteorologists anticipate a big impact in winter 2023, but the forecasts don’t all agree]( - - More of The Conversation Like this newsletter? You might be interested in our weekly and biweekly emails: • [Weekly Highlights]( • [Science Editors' Picks]( • [This Week in Religion]( • [Politics Weekly]( • [Global Perspectives]( • [Global Economy & Business]( Trying out new social media? Follow us: • [Threads]( • [Bluesky]( • [Mastodon](• [Post.news]( • [LinkedIn]( - - About The Conversation We're a nonprofit news organization dedicated to [helping academic experts share ideas with the public](. We can give away our articles thanks to the help of foundations, universities and readers like you. 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