Supporters and opponents of an initiative to ban safe injection sites in King County argued before the Washington State Supreme Court Tuesday morning. A Supreme Court decision is not expected for several months.

The Washington State Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday morning for Initiative 27, an ordinance banning safe injections sites in King County.

Proponents appealed King County Superior Court Judge Veronica Alicea Galvan’s decision in October 2017 to block I-27 from the ballot.

Judge Galvan cited Washington state law, which says local legislative bodies have the authority to determine budgets, and I-27 “impinges” on legislative authority of the county.

“I-27 in its entirety extends beyond the scope of the local initiative power,” Galvan wrote in the ruling.

The King County Board of Health approved a recommendation in January for opening two safe injection sites, which would allow people to consume drugs under medical supervision.

Seattle is the only city to approve the installation of a safe injection site but has yet to select a location. Dozens of other cities have banned such sites within city limits.

Joshua Freed with Safe King County opposed the initiative and was in the courtroom for Tuesday morning's arguments.

"I hope they (justices) are on the side of the voters, allowing the voters to have a say," Freed told reporters outside of the Temple of Justice in Olympia.

Freed said the King County Council is essentially legalizing heroin and thinks the public should decide if that is a good idea.

"As a government of 'we the people,' we should have an ability to say what happens in our backyards," said Freed.

Maryls McConnell, whose son Andrew died from a heroin overdose in 2015, thinks an injection site might have saved her son's life. She fears voters would support the ban, preventing other users from getting access to clean facilities, syringes, and potentially treatment.

"I think those public health decisions are literally life and death decisions that need to be made by the public health authorities," said McConnell.