September 21, 2015 Advocates Warn Against Criminalizing K2 Users, Push for More Treatment Options New York, NY – The Coalition for the Homeless held a press conference on the steps of City Hall Monday morning to highlight the importance of curbing the sale and availability of the synthetic drug K2, as the City Council held hearings today on how to stop the drug’s spread. The growing popularity of this drug has impacted many people, including homeless individuals. Members of the Coalition and homeless individuals warned against the criminalization of K2 users and instead urged the city to push for greater treatment options, including a new city/state agreement to create 30,000 units of supportive housing in New York City over the next decade. “K2 is a harmful drug, and extremely easy to obtain. The Council and the Mayor are right to look at ways to curb the sale and distribution of this new menace, but we must be careful that K2 users get the help they need – and not a prison sentence,” said Mary Brosnahan, President and CEO of the Coalition for the Homeless. “Decades of experience have taught us that we cannot incarcerate our way through this, or any drug problem, and that expanding treatment options, including supportive housing, is the cost-effective and humane solution. That is why we are calling on the Governor and the Mayor to sign a New York/New York IV agreement, which would create 30,000 units of supportive housing over the next 10 years – specifically for the most vulnerable individuals dealing with addiction, mental illness and other disabilities.” ###
