San Francisco's Controversial Free Alcohol Program for Homeless Alcoholics Sparks Outrage

A new program in San Francisco that provides free alcohol to homeless alcoholics has sparked an uproar among some residents, who argue that it is a misuse of taxpayer funds and enables addiction.

San Francisco's decision to provide free alcohol to homeless alcoholics has sparked an outcry from some residents, who argue that it is a misuse of taxpayer funds and enables addiction.

The "Managed Alcohol Program" (MAP), operated by San Francisco's Department of Public Health, serves regimented doses of alcohol to voluntary participants with alcohol addiction in an effort to keep the homeless off the streets and relieve the city's emergency services. The program, which started with 10 beds, has since been expanded into a 20-bed program that operates out of a former hotel in Tenderloin with a $5 million annual budget.

Experts say the program can save or extend lives, but critics wonder if the government would be better off funding treatment and sobriety programs instead.

"It's really conflicting to give alcohol to alcoholics because it's a disease. It's a condition that is basically an obsession of the mind that turns into an allergy of the body. And it's a disease that they can't help," one San Francisco resident told Fox News contributor Sara Carter. "You're enabling, and the possibility is for them to die, end up in an institution or death."

MAP was established during the COVID-19 pandemic to prevent vulnerable homeless people who were placed in isolation in hotel rooms from suffering from alcohol withdrawal. However, the program has since expanded beyond its original scope, raising concerns among some residents.

"If that's what the program is and it's giving away free alcohol, that's not a good use of money," one San Francisco resident said.

Alice Moughamian, the nurse manager of the Managed Alcohol Program and the San Francisco Sobering Center, noted there is a larger goal beyond recovery for alcoholics.

"Our goal at MAP is not to decrease the amount of alcohol that is consumed, or to taper someone towards abstinence, although both of these things have happened with clients in our program," she said in an October presentation. "The goal is to mitigate the many health, legal and interpersonal harms associated with unsafe alcohol use."

However, many residents feel the program is making the city an "enabler" of addiction and misusing taxpayer funds.

"I feel like they are being an enabler," one man said. "They're giving people alcohol who clearly has an addiction. So if you're providing them with a means to get drunk, I mean, it makes no sense to me."

"You don't need to wean them off gradually," another added. "Or if you are, don't use taxpayer funds under the auspices of a government program to wean them."

The controversy over San Francisco's free alcohol program highlights the complex and challenging issue of homelessness and addiction. While some believe that providing free alcohol to alcoholics can help to reduce harm and improve their quality of life, others argue that it is a misuse of resources and enables addiction. The debate is likely to continue as the city grapples with the best ways to address these pressing issues.