Drug litter – ‘activists’ fight back

Discarded needles and other drug use and injection paraphernalia is a widespread problem, of immediate safety and wider public concern.

Approaches to management of this problem includes the obvious, that Local Authorities coordinate and deliver effective and speedy clean-up services to respond to reports, and to provide regular patrols of known hot-spots.

Other initiatives are controversial. Does society fund the provision of clean needles and sharps bins for addicts use, or send the Police out to catch them?

In their own take on the ‘problem, public safety “activists” in Santa Cruz are planning a protest against those they believe are creating hypodermic needle waste in outdoor and natural areas locally.

One individual has suggested shaming clients outside of the county’s needle exchange office, where drug users may obtain clean needles when they turn in used ones. In a Facebook discussion, Chris Brown said, “What about taking pictures of those going in and out and posting them to a web site in an effort to shame them? I admit it seems rather creepy and low but????”

http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2013/09/29/18744023.php

 

 

 

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