Minnesota has put millions of dollars towards reducing opioid overdose deaths in the state.

The director of the Minnesota Office of Addiction and Recovery, Jeremy Drucker, told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS the state has committed $200 million to combat a rise in overdose deaths connected to opioid abuse because more than 1,000 people died of overdoses in 2022, which is nearly three times higher than 2018.

Drucker said part of that ambitious plan includes $18 million for safe recovery centers, which could also include safe consumption areas where people can bring their drugs to be tested for substances like fentanyl and xylazine while being supervised.

“They’re supervised while they use it and then they’re in a place of observation afterwards until they know there’s not an overdose,” said Drucker. “And, there’s also services attached to it.”

Drucker said the safe recovery centers would likely open first and the safe consumption spaces would follow because the state is researching how to legally put the two options together under federal law.

“We envision this as a way for people to be safe enough and survive long enough to find a recovery journey,” said Drucker.

Drucker said there is a possibility the first safe recovery center might open in 2025 and he expects “less than five” of the centers to be placed in various cities who ask for them across the state.