"Tucked deep in San Francisco's sixth district is Dodge Place, a residential street located in the notorious Tenderloin neighborhood. It's been overtaken by drug users who come to get high, descend into madness, and then destroy themselves and their surroundings."
Never even considering that there could be any causes for any of this other than drugs.
Many people have mental health issues even before trying any drugs, and many self-medicate or try to cope with street drugs because the established mental health system and social safety net has failed them.
"At any given time, dozens of people congregate in the small alley to inject or smoke their substance of choice."
Where else are they supposed to go?
Many of them are homeless, after all, and if they have homes they may not want to do drugs in front of their families so as not to set a bad example or because their families would not be supportive.
In some countries there are clean facilities where you can get clean drugs and clean needles and be monitored by medical staff.
In the US you're forced to use mystery drugs that you could easily overdose from because you neither know what you're getting, what the purity is, or the dosage is, use dirty needles, and/or do your drugs on the street where you can get attacked while you're passed out.
This is a failure of society, not of drug abusers, who are victims and need medical help not sensationalistic, moralistic screeds.
"Teenagers to seniors, of all races and demographics, jab needles into their bloody, bloated limbs, hands, and feet."
They're bloody and bloated because they're not getting adequate medical care.
Again, a failure of society and of the medical system.
"One inexplicably common figure is a man neatly dressed for a day at the office who drives syringes deep into other people's necks. Soon after imbibing, users stand still as statues but bent at the waist, colloquially known as the "fentanyl fold." Some collapse and crawl, while others sit listlessly on the curb, lining the walls."
What many people who've never tried heroin (which is probably what this reporter is describing) don't understand is that when the high hits you feel incredibly good, and users are just paying attention to the overwhelming internal sensations as the outside world becomes not as relevant.
So give these people somewhere clean and safe to lie down, if the mere sight of them harshes your mellow and offends your delicate sensibilities so much.
"Or they wander, run, or flail, screaming at each other as well as invisible demons."
More mental health funding would be in order here, not demonization of people suffering from mental issues.
"Many urinate and defecate in their clothes, on the pavement or doorsteps, despite the 24-hour facilities nearby."
24-hour facilities which are dangerous to go in because they're windowless and you could be jumped when you get out... and "nearby" is often not nearly near enough if you're sick or under the influence of drugs that make you lose control of your bowels or bladder.
Again, there's a right way to deal with all these issues, which is to provide clean, safe facilities for drug use and make drugs legal.. and a wrong way: which is to demonize drug users and support the failed policy of prohibition.
"Tucked deep in San Francisco's sixth district is Dodge Place, a residential street located in the notorious Tenderloin neighborhood. It's been overtaken by drug users who come to get high, descend into madness, and then destroy themselves and their surroundings."
Never even considering that there could be any causes for any of this other than drugs.
Many people have mental health issues even before trying any drugs, and many self-medicate or try to cope with street drugs because the established mental health system and social safety net has failed them.
"At any given time, dozens of people congregate in the small alley to inject or smoke their substance of choice."
Where else are they supposed to go?
Many of them are homeless, after all, and if they have homes they may not want to do drugs in front of their families so as not to set a bad example or because their families would not be supportive.
In some countries there are clean facilities where you can get clean drugs and clean needles and be monitored by medical staff.
In the US you're forced to use mystery drugs that you could easily overdose from because you neither know what you're getting, what the purity is, or the dosage is, use dirty needles, and/or do your drugs on the street where you can get attacked while you're passed out.
This is a failure of society, not of drug abusers, who are victims and need medical help not sensationalistic, moralistic screeds.
"Teenagers to seniors, of all races and demographics, jab needles into their bloody, bloated limbs, hands, and feet."
They're bloody and bloated because they're not getting adequate medical care.
Again, a failure of society and of the medical system.
"One inexplicably common figure is a man neatly dressed for a day at the office who drives syringes deep into other people's necks. Soon after imbibing, users stand still as statues but bent at the waist, colloquially known as the "fentanyl fold." Some collapse and crawl, while others sit listlessly on the curb, lining the walls."
What many people who've never tried heroin (which is probably what this reporter is describing) don't understand is that when the high hits you feel incredibly good, and users are just paying attention to the overwhelming internal sensations as the outside world becomes not as relevant.
So give these people somewhere clean and safe to lie down, if the mere sight of them harshes your mellow and offends your delicate sensibilities so much.
"Or they wander, run, or flail, screaming at each other as well as invisible demons."
More mental health funding would be in order here, not demonization of people suffering from mental issues.
"Many urinate and defecate in their clothes, on the pavement or doorsteps, despite the 24-hour facilities nearby."
24-hour facilities which are dangerous to go in because they're windowless and you could be jumped when you get out... and "nearby" is often not nearly near enough if you're sick or under the influence of drugs that make you lose control of your bowels or bladder.
Again, there's a right way to deal with all these issues, which is to provide clean, safe facilities for drug use and make drugs legal.. and a wrong way: which is to demonize drug users and support the failed policy of prohibition.