The Biden Administration is refuting claims made by a right-wing media outlet that crack pipes will be included in “safe smoking kits” handed out to underserved communities and funded by the American Rescue Plan.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki denied the claim, which was first reported on by the Washington Free Beacon on Wednesday. On Monday, the outlet stated that the information was confirmed by a Health and Human Services spokesperson.
“They were never a part of the kit,” Psaki said. “It was inaccurate reporting, and we wanted to put out information to make that clear.”
HHS has previously made a statement on the matter, shooting down the information contained in the Free Beacon article. Instead, it said the program is “designed to help Americans who are struggling with substance use stay healthy and safe, prevent overdose death, and find pathways into evidence-based treatments.”
According to Psaki, the kits will contain “alcohol swabs, lip balm, and other materials to promote hygiene and reduce the transmission of diseases like HIV and hepatitis.”
The program is intended to address the nation’s opioid epidemic. The grant money aims to aid in harm reduction practices in underserved communities, such as members of the LTBTQ+ community and African Americans, to comply with an executive order regarding racial equality.
