San Francisco claims to be clearing out 'open-air drug markets'

San Francisco mayor London Breed claimed significant progress on dismantling what she called the city's "open-air drug markets" through expanded drug seizures and arrests of both drug users and dealers.

However, locals on the ground say that while they welcome the additional city resources, there’s been little difference made, as evident in the city’s continued rise in record-breaking fentanyl overdoses.

In the last six months, Breed claims local and state law enforcement arrested 700 drug dealers and seized over 80 kilograms of fentanyl in the last year, and that San Francisco Police Department has doubled its number of drug dealer arrests.

“We want people who need support to get help and we will continue to offer people second chances, but San Francisco can’t be a place where anything goes and allow harmful behaviors to become the norm,” said Breed in a public statement. “These first six months are just the start of the work we know we need to continue.”

However, according to one top executive at UC Law SF, who spoke to the San Francisco Chronicle, said that the Tenderloin neighborhood is still facing the same challenges.

“There are a lot of resources being put into the Tenderloin, and yet, the outcome remains the same — open-air drug dealing, stolen good markets and loitering,” said Rhiannon Bailard, chief operating officer for UC Law SF.

Despite the increase in arrests and 87% prosecution filing rate by the San Francisco District Attorney’s office in narcotics cases, judges still remain a significant barrier towards achieving law enforcement goals.

“The District Attorney’s Office has also been seeking to detain suspected egregious and repeat offending drug dealers who peddle death to protect public safety. Detention is sought for suspects after careful individualized assessments of the risk they pose to public safety,” wrote the DA’s office in a public statement. “The District Attorney’s Office has filed over 350 motions to detain dangerous drug dealing suspects and the courts have only granted 34 thus far.”

Despite increased resources towards open-air drug markets, San Francisco already set a new record for drug overdoses in 2023, suggesting the city’s attempts to curb the fatal consumption of drugs is far from over. In the first 11 months of 2023, 752 people overdosed on drugs.

To reduce the city’s drug problems, the Breed and the county Board of Supervisors proposed expanding the police force and requiring substance abuse screening and successful participation in substance abuse treatment to receive cash welfare from the consolidated city-county.

"In recent years, San Francisco has earned a reputation as a destination for people who use the most toxic drugs to come, and eventually die," said San Francisco Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. "I support this effort to make San Francisco the City where people are able to get sober and build a better life."

Fifty-two percent of homeless individuals in San Francisco's latest official homelessness count reported their drug or alcohol abuse as a "disabling" condition. According to the San Francisco government, 20% of cash welfare recipients self-disclosed they have a "disabling" substance abuse issue.