Newly signed drug law gets mixed reviews among Seattleites

By Oct. 20, it will be illegal in Seattle for people to use drugs like heroin and meth in public.

The new law, passed by the Seattle City Council Tuesday and signed by Mayor Bruce Harrell Wednesday, allows the city attorney to prosecute drug cases, but also promotes a “public health approach” to addiction, emphasizing pre-trial and pre-arrest diversion and treatment programs.

The new ordinance comes at a time of hot public debate over the criminalization of drug use, and is drawing mixed reactions among Seattleites.

“It’s time that they started really doing something about the problem because it’s way out of control,” said Eddie Helton, a supporter of the new law who lives on Capitol Hill. “People smoke that heroin all the time, out of that foil? All the time. Outside my home. At the bus stop.”

Blair Johnson, a bartender who works near Cal Anderson Park, also supports the new law. He believes it can help solve the opioid crisis.

“A lot of people say that’s the best rehab --- being locked up,” he said. “I mean, you learn...you can’t do that stuff in there.”

But not everybody’s convinced the law will help.

RELATED: Seattle 'poised' to get serious about public drug use, Mayor Harrell says

James Lovell works for the Chief Seattle Club. He said he’s worried about what the law means for his brother, who lives in shelters and has struggled with addiction for decades.

“Is this the thing that’s gonna finally get my brother clean, or is this the thing that’s gonna make him on the wrong side of a bullet?”

He said that right now, he has no idea.

Carlee McIntosh, who is a harm reduction specialist, also shared criticism of the new law. She said she believes it will heap more hurt on people who need help, adding that a better approach is to provide safe consumption sites so that people can use drugs out of the public eye.

“When you’re on a drug, if you’re not safe — in a safe place with safe people — you can get really hurt because it alters your state of consciousness.”

RELATED: Seattle program addresses key gap in the opioid crisis: post-overdose support

KUOW reporter David Hyde contributed to this report.