Efforts are underway in various states, including New York, to establish sites where users can inject or consume drugs with supervision in an effort to reduce heroin and opiate overdose deaths.

A coalition known as End Overdose NY is holding a legislative briefing Monday in Albany to discuss details of a program aimed at allowing community-based organizations to establish safe locations where people can use pre-obtained drugs.

Supporters say such places would be a controlled environment with trained staff to prevent and to respond to overdoses as well as to provide guidance to health services.

The idea of setting up safe injection sites is gaining traction in other states as well, including Massachusetts, where the proposal has the backing of doctors and hospitals.