U.S. attorney in Philadelphia sues to block supervised injection site

Federal prosecutors in Philadelphia have filed a lawsuit to prevent a nonprofit from opening the country’s first planned supervised drug injection site, where people can inject drugs with sterile syringes under the supervision of trained staff who can intervene if a person overdoses. U.S. Attorney William McSwain is asking a U.S. district judge to determine whether the sites are illegal under federal law. The nonprofit Safehouse, which is working to open the site, has won the support of Philadelphia's mayor, district attorney, and other city officials. The lawsuit could set up a court fight that might shape the future of supervised injection sites. Other cities, including New York and Seattle, have also debated whether to open the facilities.