Just beyond sight of the academic and commercial heart of Oxford, drug abuse has come very dramatically to the surface manifest by many used syringes and needles being discarded under a bridge in Blackbird Leys.

It’s not a news problem, since the Oxford Mail reports

“For five years residents have complained about addicts abandoning used needles on the ground underneath Blackbird Leys Road.”

It is interesting to read the news report, with quotes from residents and from the Local Authority who has been ‘monitoring’ the situation!

It’s becoming clear that most interventions aimed at stamping out problems of this sort merely move the problem from one place to another. Local Authorities have a tough time since the root causes are far beyond the scope of their services.

In persistent hot spots such as this, a secure sharps bin would seem appropriate. This may capture some, though probably not all, of the used sharps. It’s a start, and with other multi-agency interventions it is probably a good start. The disposal industries would be wise to plan for services to provide and service sharps bins in such locations. This is a problem that will not shrink, and will never go away.