ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York mayor wants his city to be the first in the U.S. to offer a supervised injection facility, where heroin users would be able to shoot up under the care of a nurse.

Ithaca Mayor Svante Myrick tells The Associated Press the facility, which would also connect addicts to recovery services, is one piece of a new approach he wants his city to take against the scourge of addiction.

At similar facilities in Canada, Europe and Australia, medical professionals step in if a user overdoses.

There are legal and political challenges in the U.S. Myrick needs state permission to open a supervised injection site, and his proposal is certain to face significant opposition.

Myrick backs a law enforcement strategy that prioritizes treatment over arrests.

State health officials haven’t responded to a request for comment.

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