French mayors urge government to authorize addiction care centers

Twelve mayors from major French cities, including Lyon, Marseille, Paris, and Lille, have sent an open letter to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu requesting the authorization to open addiction care centers (HSA), commonly referred to as “salles de shoot”. The mayors are seeking a permanent legal framework to replace the current experimental regime, which is limited to specific regions and set to expire at the end of 2027.

These centers allow adult users to consume substances under professional supervision, which helps prevent health risks, provides social support, and reduces public drug use and discarded syringes. The mayors argue that the current restrictions prevent cities like Lyon and Marseille from addressing intensifying drug trafficking and public consumption issues.

While existing centers in Paris and Strasbourg have shown benefits for public tranquility and health without increasing local crime, the mayors emphasize the need for a coordinated state policy to combat crack cocaine and other narcotics. In Marseille, previous attempts to establish such a center faced significant local opposition, highlighting the complex tension between public health initiatives and neighborhood concerns.