Somerville Vows To Open A Supervised Consumption Site, Defying Feds

Somerville Mayor Joe Curtatone is promising to open a supervised drug consumption site in that city next year.

Some public health advocates say the sites allow medical professionals to monitor illegal drug use and potentially prevent overdoses, saving lives.

But such facilities violate both federal and state law.

On Radio Boston earlier this year, Massachusetts U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling vowed to oppose and shut down any supervised consumption site.

In a statement to WBUR today, Lelling said "if Somerville opens one, federal enforcement will follow."

It now seems that the city and the federal government are on a collision course over supervised consumption sites.

Marc McGovern, mayor of Cambridge. He tweets @MarcGov.

Dr. Laura Kehoe, medical director of the Substance Use Disorder Bridge Clinic at Massachusetts General Hospital, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, and secretary of the Massachusetts Society of Addiction Medicine

Michael Flaherty, Boston city councilor. He tweets @mfflaherty.