ROCHESTER, N.Y. — From every loss, overdose or suicide, drug overdoses continue to climb in the U.S.

"Every death that we're experiencing is a policy failure," director of New York Recovery Alliance Christopher Abert said. "It is not the natural consequence of substance use to die. It is the consequence of failed policies that we've been following for almost 150 years now. And it's time for our leaders to step up, to show some bravery and to defend the most vulnerable parts of our population."

Overcoming Abert’s own past battle with drugs has been one of the driving forces behind his nonprofit New York Recovery’s mission to distribute free supplies aimed at reducing harm — like sterile syringes, fentanyl test strips, emergency contraception and much more.

"Everything else was taken away as a result of the state punishing me for drug use, not necessarily just using drugs," Abert said. "But I was incarcerated. I couldn't work. I couldn't find housing. And all of this in Rochester, all of this with services that just weren't accessible."

Substance use disorder has long been classified as a disease, but for those in recovery say the stigma around this condition is pervasive. 

"When people don't have the correct information, oftentimes our in-service programs, they are told to not service the community anymore," Abert said. "This doesn't keep anybody safe. And it does, in fact, leave lots of people in the community in danger."

For better or worse, the organization says licit and illicit drug use continues to be part of our world, working to minimize its harmful effects rather than simply ignore or condemn them. The organization hopes to end the stigma surrounding not only addiction but also syringes found within the community. 

"While people are scared of syringes, the actual health risk of contracting or disease in the community is negligible," Abert said. "And I mean by that, there's never been a case of HIV or hepatitis C from a community-based accidental needle stick in the United States."

Abert and his team continue to do weekly cleanups. They are advocating for overdose prevention centers, which he says has been shown to reduce syringe litter by up to 80%.

"There are a few reasons why you might find a needle on the ground," Abert said. "So the primary driver is the housing crisis and the fact that people don't have homes. A solution to that would be overdose prevention centers. So while not everybody will ever use an overdose prevention center, the vast majority of the folks that do use them report that they would have used drugs in a public space if it weren't for those centers."

This is in hopes their advocacy and awareness can ensure that people who use drugs and those with a history of drug use routinely have a real voice in the creation of programs and policies designed to serve them.

"People who use drugs are just that," Abert said. "They're people. They deserve respect. They deserve compassion. They're struggling. We all have people who are impacted."

Working hard to keep their dream alive and find a safe space for others, they are excited to offer their services in a new outreach center. They plan to use this space for community health education, survivors union meetings, community nights, and peer outreach for a place to build connection and power with one another. Hours are available Sundays from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.