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Board adopts Drug Market Intervention resolution after debate, 7–2
Summary
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors adopted a Drug Market Intervention (DMI) resolution on March 25, 2025, after amendments emphasizing reduced reliance on enforcement and strengthened interagency collaboration; the measure passed 7–2 with Supervisors Chan and Fielder opposed.
Supervisor Mahmood introduced a resolution calling for a comprehensive Drug Market Intervention strategy to dismantle open‑air drug markets and expand prevention, youth workforce programs and non‑punitive pathways for nonviolent dealers and people with substance use disorders. "Every child in San Francisco deserves a safe and healthy childhood," Mahmood said, arguing the framework focuses on supply‑side disruption and community‑driven approaches.
Mahmood described three amendments that were incorporated before the roll call, including language that states enforcement "alone cannot eliminate the market and should be minimized whenever possible," emphasizes interagency collaboration among SFPD, public health and social services, and notes progress by the Drug Market Agency Coordination Center (DMACC), including seizure figures and arrests cited in the resolution. The resolution asks the board to recommend allocation of resources for a DMI strategy and to prioritize prevention, community ambassador programs and workforce development.
Supervisor Fielder, chair of the Government Audit and Oversight Committee, expressed support for oversight and reporting requirements tied to any fundraising or waivers, noting the need to ensure integrity and transparency. "We need measures to avoid any indications of impropriety," Fielder said, and thanked staff for amendment language.
Supervisor Chan said she would not support the resolution as written, expressing concern that it "centers our resources around this one strategy" presented by an academic and that the city should not concentrate staff and budget on a single approach without clearer metrics. Chan said enforcement divorced from public‑health metrics could lead to more arrests of people who use drugs rather than dealers.
After amendments were accepted, the clerk called the roll on the amended resolution. The vote was 7 ayes and 2 nos, with Supervisors Chan and Fielder voting no. The board adopted the resolution as amended.
The resolution does not itself appropriate new funds; it directs city departments to coordinate on a DMI roadmap and recommends allocating resources to implement the strategy, including supports for workforce, youth development and community‑based disruption initiatives. The board did not record a specific implementation timetable in the meeting.
Next steps: The board adopted the amended resolution and asked relevant departments to pursue coordination and report back, but no specific funding appropriation or effective date for implementation was specified in the meeting record.
