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San Francisco Sobers Up on Drugs

Source: nytimes.com

TL;DR

San Francisco shifts from effective drug decriminalization to enforcement and treatment under Mayor Daniel Lurie.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)
Tents lining streets and public fentanyl use have declined since 2023 crisis peak with record overdose deaths.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)
Voters and leaders reject prior progressive approach after it failed to deliver treatment, echoing Portugal's balanced model.[[2]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share)[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)

The story at a glance

German Lopez argues in this New York Times opinion piece that San Francisco is reversing its hands-off drug policies amid a fentanyl-driven crisis. Mayor Daniel Lurie, a Levi Strauss heir turned politician, leads the change with arrests, bans on free paraphernalia, and "recovery first" initiatives like new treatment beds and a RESET center.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)[[3]](https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-signs-supervisor-dorsey-recovery-first-legislation-building-on-work-to-tackle-behavioral-health-and-homelessness-crisis) This comes after residents grew fed up with open-air markets and tents in 2023, when overdoses hit a record high despite national declines.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html) The piece draws from Lopez's recent visit showing early cleanup signs.

Key points

In 2023, Lopez saw widespread public fentanyl, crack, and meth use near City Hall and police stations, with tents blocking streets in a "fentanyl fold" posture.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)
Post-crack epidemic, progressives decriminalized drugs formally in Oregon and practically in San Francisco via lax enforcement, aiming for voluntary treatment over punishment.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)
Fentanyl worsened outcomes: few sought treatment, overdoses soared, prompting voter backlash and Lurie's election on a disorder-fighting platform.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)
City now bans public drug paraphernalia handouts without treatment links, passed "recovery first" policy, added hundreds of treatment beds, and plans a RESET center for intoxicated arrestees.[[3]](https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-signs-supervisor-dorsey-recovery-first-legislation-building-on-work-to-tackle-behavioral-health-and-homelessness-crisis)[[4]](https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-lurie-signs-legislation-to-advance-the-reset-center-and-combat-public-drug-use-on-san-francisco-streets)
Early results include fewer tents and less visible use, though experts debate if gains hold amid health advocate pushback.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)

Details and context

San Francisco's pre-Lurie approach mirrored Oregon's Measure 110 but skipped Portugal's enforcement teeth: there, decriminalization pairs fines, panels, and treatment mandates with dissuasion from use, cutting overdoses over two decades.[[5]](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/31/upshot/san-francisco-drug-crisis.html) California's Prop 47 kept possession a misdemeanor but police rarely pursued it, enabling open markets that drew users from afar.[[6]](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/01/31/briefing/san-francisco-addiction.html)

Lurie's steps build on voter-approved measures like drug screening for welfare recipients and his Fentanyl State of Emergency Ordinance, which speeds shelter and enforcement via private funds.[[7]](https://abc7news.com/post/san-francisco-mayor-daniel-lurie-introduces-new-fentanyl-ordinance/15802422) Critics from harm reduction circles call it a retreat from proven death-reduction tactics, but 2025 saw overdoses drop to the lowest since fentanyl hit.[[8]](https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-luries-statement-on-2025-overdose-deaths-lowest-since-fentanyl-crisis-hit)

The shift reflects West Coast regret over pure decriminalization experiments, favoring compulsion where voluntary help fell short against fentanyl's grip.[[9]](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/08/opinion/fentanyl-addiction-drug-policy.html)

Key quotes

"The transformation is in its early stages, but what I saw in San Francisco was promising."[[10]](https://www.facebook.com/nytopinion/posts/san-francisco-was-the-epitome-of-the-dysfunctional-democratic-city-but-under-a-n/1312162420777491) — German Lopez, on recent changes.

Why it matters

Open drug use eroded quality of life in progressive cities, fueling backlash against policies meant to help but enabling chaos instead.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)

Residents now see cleaner streets and more treatment access, while businesses and visitors benefit from less disorder, though addicts face stricter paths to recovery.[[8]](https://www.sf.gov/news-mayor-luries-statement-on-2025-overdose-deaths-lowest-since-fentanyl-crisis-hit)

Overdose trends and treatment uptake will show if the model scales, with national eyes on whether it beats fentanyl without mass jailings.[[1]](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/06/opinion/san-francisco-drugs-decriminalization-fentanyl.html)