After learning their Kensington storefront’s lease would not be renewed, Savage Sisters Recovery, a harm reduction treatment site for individuals struggling with substance abuse, is facing a significant relocation dilemma. The decision not to renew their lease comes in spite of the fact that in 2023, Savage Sisters reversed over 300 overdoses and there were over 1,400 deaths from unintentional overdoses in 2022, as documented in “Kensington nonprofit to cease storefront operations” from this week’s issue of The Hawk.  

As defined by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, harm reduction is “an evidence-based approach that is critical to engaging with people who use drugs and equipping them with life-saving tools and information to create positive change in their lives and potentially save their lives.” As such, this practice involves saving lives as well as minimizing the stigma around individuals experiencing substance use disorder. 

When someone has become reliant on substances for some time, making the decision to stop using puts them at risk of severe and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. Through harm reduction, individuals with substance use disorder can be as safe as possible until they decide to seek further treatment. 

The loss of Savage Sisters’ storefront further silences professionals who have seen and worked with individuals experiencing addiction on a daily basis — professionals who say harm reduction is an extremely effective method of saving peoples’ lives. Not renewing Savage Sisters’ lease ignores the true scope of harm reduction, which helps not only those struggling with substance use but also those experiencing homelessness and mental health disorders. Without a concrete replacement, there will be nothing to fill the gaps Savage Sisters’ closure will leave in Kensington.

Though harm reduction methods may be contested, the necessity of supporting the communities in Kensington is not. Closing down and pushing out groups like Savage Sisters, which is actively saving lives, will only exacerbate the issue at hand and leave people experiencing substance use disorders with a much higher risk of severe harm or death. 

This is not a problem that will go away with time. People experiencing addiction should be treated with dignity and compassion, just like any other medical or mental illness, because dignity is not earned, it is deserved. This can only happen if facilities like Savage Sisters are kept open to provide care and support to those who truly need it.