Councilmember Nithya Raman hosted a panel addressing homelessness and the methamphetamine epidemic in Los Angeles on Aug. 19, but some residents are critical of the panel’s “harm reduction” policies and say it only ecnourages more drug use.   Methamphetamines are long-acting stimulants to the nervous system that releases more dopamine in the brain than other substances. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated there were 70,630 drug overdose deaths in the United States in 2019, while two million Americans reported having used methamphetamine in the past year in 2019.   “Evidence suggests that meth use has been on the rise in California,” Raman said. “These numbers signify an emergency – one we need to address with bold, urgent and broad solutions.”  Raman, who represents the 4th district, was joined by Dr. David Goodman, a UCLA physician who specializes in substance use and addiction ,and  Soma Snakeoil, executive director of homeless …