Los Angeles funds drug paraphernalia for homeless amid criticism of harm‑reduction policy

The city of Los Angeles, together with Los Angeles County and the state of California, operates a program that supplies drug‑use supplies such as syringes, crack‑pipes and mixing containers at the Skid Row “care campus.” Journalists reported that anyone can obtain the items without question, a practice described by officials as “harm reduction.” Critics argue the policy enables continued addiction and imposes a burden on taxpayers.

The Los Angeles Police Department has reported handling an estimated 40 calls per hour related to homelessness issues, straining resources already stretched thin by staffing shortages. Opponents of the program have called for an end to the taxpayer‑funded distribution of drug paraphernalia, urging a shift away from the current approach.