NYC considers opening centers for addicts to shoot up

NEW YORK (FOX 5 NY) - The New York City Council has approved a $200,000 study of supervised injection facilities. The centers would give heroin users and users of injected, illegal drugs a place to shoot-up under the supervision of health professionals.

The purpose of the facilities already running in Boston and other countries, is to reduce the number of overdoses and transmission of disease.

In 2015, there were 965 overdoses in New York City.

Health and law enforcement officials say there is a heroin epidemic in the United States.

Shocking images from across the country have been shared on social media of people who had overdosed on heroin.