San Francisco drug users not showing up to new treatment program

A new program aimed at curbing unfettered drug use on the streets of San Francisco is directing users to treatment — but they aren’t showing up.

Under pressure to address the spreading blight, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins launched an initiative that increased misdemeanor drug arrests and sent repeat offenders to an alternative court.

If the defendants accept treatment and other services, the charges are settled.

But the first three participants in the program skipped out on their appearances and now have warrants out for their arrest, according to the San Franciso Chronicle.

Critics — including the city’s Public Defender’s Office — opposed Jenkins’ plan, arguing that addicts, many of whom are homeless and mentally ill, were unlikely to comply with its terms.

The initiative is “the least effective way to have a person who is unhoused, mentally ill and/or struggling with substance use disorder engage in treatment is to issue them a ticket,” ‘ Deputy Public Defender Vilaska Nguyen said.

“We’re never going to solve the addiction crisis with arbitrary and coercive approaches,” he added.

Jenkins entered office after the recall removal of her predecessor, avowed progressive Chesa Boudin.

With both residents and retailers continuing to flee San Francisco, she pledged to address the city’s spiraling quality of life woes.

The drug program, she argued, would confront public drug use more robustly rather than turning a blind eye to the scourge.

“Open-air drug dealing and unchecked public drug use is ripping our city apart; people struggling with substance use disorder are dying on our streets while neighborhoods are being held hostage by brazen drug dealers and traffickers,” she said last week, according to the Chronicle.

San Francisco drug arrests have increased in recent weeks, with 51 busts since May 30, the outlet reported.

Jenkins continued to defend the program Wednesday.

“We know that this work will be difficult and will not work for everyone, similar to other interventions to help people struggling with addiction,” she said. “Enforcement as a mechanism to get people into treatment is new for us and will take time to catch on, but we are committed to doing our part to help address the crisis we are seeing on our streets.”

San Francisco has become a favored target for conservative politicians and pundits who point to it as the chaotic end result of liberal political policies.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is running for president, traveled to the city this month and released a campaign ad saying that he witnessed crack smoking, heroin injections and public defecation during his tour.