Trump and Healey Could Collide Over Massachusetts Injection Sites

It's safe to say that President Donald Trump and Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey are worlds apart on most things. Trump is a small-government Republican and Healey a bureaucratic Democrat.

He says to-MAY-to, she says to-MAH-to. You get the point.

Trump and Healey are squaring up to battle over several key policy issues, including immigration, energy and entitlement reform. However, a potential clash may be brewing between these opposites that could make the other disagreements appear mild by comparison.

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Two years ago, Healey announced her support for the idea of supervised drug-use sites, also known as safe injection sites. It is illegal and Trump would never allow it.

Last year, the Massachusetts Senate approved language for a pilot safe injection site program. The House did not concur and the idea was dropped during negotiations over a larger substance use bill.

A recent editorial in the Lowell Sun asked, "Has the time finally arrived to challenge prevailing federal law in an effort to save addicts' lives?"

Leah B. Foley, U.S. Attorney for Massachusetts responded quickly to the Sun's editorial by simply saying, "No."

The Sun's editorial concluded, "Hopefully, the time will come when the feds will decide to turn a blind eye, and let the safe-injection concept prove its efficiency as an overdose deterrent - at least on a limited, pilot basis."

In a statement, Foley replied, "Safe injection sites,' 'harm reduction sites' or however they are branded by advocates, are categorically illegal and do nothing to help people overcome their addictions."

"To the contrary, they facilitate destruction behavior that ruins lives, consumes families, and devastates communities," Foley said.

As a candidate for governor in 2022, Healey said she supports a "harm reduction" approach, and "safe injection sites are a part of that."

The Associated Press reported in July 2024 that Healey stated, "As a general matter, I've supported harm prevention."