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The conclusion (“is working”) in the title is incorrect as noted in the 4th par:
“While it is not yet possible to prove that the IDEA Exchange caused Miami’s overdose rate to fall…”
From the article:
quote
After Dr. Tookes’s program — known as IDEA Exchange, for the Infectious Disease Elimination Act that authorized it — was established in 2016, Miami’s overdose death rate began to decline and it has remained relatively stable compared with the rate in other Florida cities. While it is not yet possible to prove that the IDEA Exchange caused Miami’s overdose rate to fall, state officials suspected that it did. The health agency wanted to know what IDEA was doing right.
Despite data showing that harm reduction is a better approach than criminalization in curbing drug-related problems, politicians — particularly, but not only, on the right — have been hesitant to embrace it. Miami’s story illustrates not only that this policy does not cause the rises in overdose and disorder for which it is often blamed, but also that it can bridge ideological divides and work in a red state.
end quote
So no harm and apparent (for now) good.