NYCLU Warns: Adams' Drug Abuse Plan Could Lead to Harmful Consequences

The New York Civil Liberties Union is raising concerns regarding Mayor Eric Adams' initiative to empower healthcare professionals to involuntarily admit substance abusers into hospital treatment. In a statement made on Thursday, Adams introduced the "Compassionate Interventions Act" during a speech at the conservative Manhattan Institute. He emphasized the necessity of this measure, saying, “As we look forward to a new legislative session in Albany, we are asking for your support of the Compassionate Interventions Act. It will help those caught in the grip of addiction recover; improve quality of life across our city; and promote compassion instead of a culture where ‘anything goes’... This authority would belong solely to the doctors and nurses.”In response, NYCLU Executive Director Donna Lieberman criticized this approach, asserting, “Forcing people struggling with substance use into treatment will not deliver recovery.” She advocated for investing in voluntary, evidence-based treatment options rather than resorting to coercion. (Photos: YouTube Screenshots)