If you have 5 people who are going to use opioids, you want them to be together when they do it and you want narcan or similar available to them, if you do truly care about saving lives.
The advertising campaign was part of an ongoing national effort by activists and health officials to [encourage "safe"] hard-drug use on the theory that doing so would lessen its harms. Particularly in blue cities and states, that idea is having a moment. The general message carried by the San Francisco billboard appeared as well in the New York City health department's "Let's Talk Fentanyl" campaign, which last year told subway riders, "Don't be ashamed you are using, be empowered that you are using safely," and further counseled them to "start with a small dose and go slowly.""
They aren't, but in today's world, there appears to be an actual slippery slope going from decriminalization to destigmatization and maybe even to celebration.
> Even with legalized marijuana we're not encouraging people to consume it.
"We're not"? Marijuana is a legitimate business in many states now, so it will get promoted.
Given the extent to which many people stigmatize criminality in and of itself, they're not entirely separate things.