Not everyone is excited about the new centers. U.S. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican who represents parts of South Brooklyn and Staten Island, has introduced a bill in Congress that would prohibit organizations that operate overdose prevention centers from receiving any federal funding, including for unrelated services.

“I'm opposed to the heroin injection sites because I believe it is only encouraging and enabling people who have this addiction and it's not doing anything to actually help them,” Malliotakis told WNYC/Gothamist.

She also recently sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging the Department of Justice to crack down on New York City’s two centers – after de Blasio and other mayors wrote to Garland earlier this year asking him to issue a statement saying enforcing the law against these sites would not be a priority.