A Christian group in Washington state on Tuesday announced a potentially landmark legal settlement that could establish new legal protections for harm reduction services for people experiencing drug addiction, including syringe exchange, under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The ADA has previously been used to preserve access to addiction treatment, and in particular access to medications like methadone and buprenorphine. But the settlement in Lewis County, Wash., sets a precedent in federal law that the ADA applies not just to treatment, but also to harm reduction services, which aim to help drug users preserve their health and reduce risk without demanding abstinence.
