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Fears for San Francisco as boss of city’s notorious open-air drug market wins election to help lead squalid city
Gary McCoy, a prominent advocate of harm-reduction programmes, has won election to represent San Francisco’s District 8 on its Board of Supervisors. His victory is likely to renew debate over how the city should respond to its fentanyl crisis, visible drug use and homelessness.
McCoy received 11,281 first-choice votes, or 49.94 per cent of the early count, ahead of Darshini Patel and Michael Nguyen, and went on to win under the city’s ranked-choice system. He has backed needle exchanges, Narcan distribution, safe consumption services and the Tenderloin Linkage Center; supporters say these measures save lives and connect people with care, while critics argue they can worsen disorder in struggling neighbourhoods.
In short
- Gary McCoy won San Francisco’s District 8 supervisor race.
- He is a prominent supporter of harm-reduction programmes.
- His election may sharpen debate over the city’s drug response.
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The case for
McCoy’s harm-reduction approach aims to keep people alive and reduce the spread of disease while making treatment and support easier to reach. Supporters argue that needle exchanges, Narcan and supervised consumption services can address immediate risks and offer contact with services, even when people are not ready to stop using drugs.
The case against
Critics argue that these programmes may manage the harms of drug use without reducing its prevalence, and that visible services can contribute to disorder or make neighbourhoods feel less safe. They favour a stronger emphasis on enforcement, treatment and recovery, contending that public policy should also protect residents and businesses from the effects of open drug use.
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