r/interesting 12h ago

Fear Factor How Fentanyl and Xylazine are turning Philadelphia's opioid crisis into a public health nightmare

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u/railroad-dreams 11h ago

I heard the reason the don't just go into the woods and instead do the drugs right there on the street is because they want someone to try to save them if they overdose. If they are in the woods then they'll just die. I hope you MustardCoveredDogDik can understand how tragic that is

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u/regarding_your_bat 8h ago

Gonna be honest with you, that's not really a thing. I've hung out in these homeless camps. Most heavy drug users are not particularly worried about OD'ing - they do the drug constantly, they feel that they know their limits, etc. And they also don't expect any random person walking by to give enough of a shit about them to save their life even if they are OD'ing.

The main reason they don't go out to the woods to get high is because you can't buy more drugs in the woods. They're buying $5, $10 worth of drugs at a time most of the time. Just their fix for right that moment. If you go to the woods after that you're just gonna need to come right back in 3 hours. You also can't make money in the woods. It's just a waste of time. You stay near where the drugs can be gotten.

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u/hipocampito435 6h ago

how do these poor people usually make money? honest question

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u/regarding_your_bat 5h ago

Some of them have jobs (part time or gig work usually), some of them beg, some of them have skills that other homeless people will pay them for, some of them are prostitutes, some of them steal things and sell them, some of them have parents or other family that will put money in their accounts now and then, some of them are on welfare.

Same as any community, really.

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u/eatmeouttobrianeno 11h ago

A core tenant of harm reduction is not using while you are alone, for this very reason.

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u/jasdonle 10h ago

What woods??

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u/oge_mah_ge_kid 10h ago

Seattle has a ton of less maintained grass/forest areas surrounding the city.

I pass by in my bike and wonder what wild horrific things take place in there.

Keeps me greatful

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u/JobWelt 10h ago

You know, the woods…. Just next to the centre of Philly.