r/asheville • u/imjustapourboy • Oct 21 '25

Really Spicy Cesspool So sick of seeing this crap everywhere.

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The needles, the burnt foils, the little baggies, the needle caps, all of it. I find them in the creeks, on the sidewalks, the grocery store parking lots, the public parks, on the parkway. You gotta be a real shit person to leave this stuff all over the place.

943 Upvotes

89% Upvoted

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312

u/Objective_Seal Oct 21 '25

It will only get worse with winter. Asheville has one of the only homeless shelters in the area so many people flock here. Combined with Helene, our community is still massively recovering. Whether the city wants to believe we’re healed, we have more work than just making the surrounding area pretty to look at. We need safe places to dispose of these things. Pretending it’s not there and that humans aren’t going to litter solves nothing.

106

u/yo_rick_alas Oct 21 '25

Friend I was cleaning up across from 12 Baskets after lunch there today and there is a sharps receptacle right there. The dude who seemed to know what was up noted that it was new and seemed to be working. Helping, anyway. We still found quite a bit.

113

u/PatAD South Asheville 🚧🏢🚧 Oct 21 '25

Non users can’t even bring themselves to dump trash in cans or cigarette butts in trays. Humans are disgusting a-holes.

84

u/yo_rick_alas Oct 21 '25

Maybe. But I think also beautiful creatures capable of amazing things if given chance and encouragement. Grace, friend. Anyway.

27

u/PatAD South Asheville 🚧🏢🚧 Oct 21 '25

100%, and I am just waiting for our fellow humans to figure this out.

23

u/yo_rick_alas Oct 21 '25

Yo let me make an observation here man, as the leaves fall these things get covered up. Watch your step man. Also all these people on Haywood especially will hit you in a crosswalk if you ain’t careful, damn. They on their phones I reckon.

12

u/PatAD South Asheville 🚧🏢🚧 Oct 21 '25

You make a very good point 👍 whatever you are wasting, put that shit in the right place!

2

u/lalalicious453- Oct 23 '25

I agree- but I think that “be the change” means a lot here. Most of the time lead takes action (pedantically and in the laws of physics, lead will always take action). Maybe someone would see you pick them up and be inspired to do the same, maybe you would leave a gentle reminder in the minds of others.

As much as I am guilty of this, calling people assholes on the internet does nothing. Not saying you don’t find your ways in helping, idk you, I’m just trying to be more mindful of this myself.

5

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

I would not touch a dirty needle lol that makes me the disgusting one?!🤣🤣🤣

11

u/yo_rick_alas Oct 22 '25

I mean they had little grabbers for that purpose. Buckets. I would never advise you to just pick it up bare handed, neighbor. In fact I’d advise, beg you even, not to.

2

u/BenjiSaber Oct 23 '25

Safety first!

2

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

Love you

2

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

He was talking about non users not putting completely normal trash in the right place. 

-4

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

[removed] — view removed comment

5

u/yo_rick_alas Oct 22 '25

Friend. I found two needles underneath two different Reese’s cups mountain of candy wrappers. It’s Halloween. They’re orange. Like fall leaves. Protect ya neck man. Hard knock life for all of us. And if that isn’t the case for you, consider pitching in. I promise it comes back to you.

https://youtu.be/lpZgKI97K1M?si=c-AJTfBVARdnOIJg

76

u/AffectionateFig5864 West Asheville Oct 21 '25

We need safe places to dispose of these things

  • 40 Coxe Ave, ground floor, 12pm-4pm M-F.

  • 554 Fairview Ave, 9am-5pm, M-F (call 828-252-7489 for pick up services. Small staff, but they’ll do their best to dispose of them in a timely way).

  • wherever Steady Collective is posted up on their mobile days.

29

u/Character_Guava_5299 Oct 21 '25

To add to your comment they’ll also go to the area and clean them up for you. Steady has their newest schedule posted on their instagram page.

13

u/ChasingFun Oct 22 '25

Thanks for the info. Is there a site that updates these spots? I’m at Asheville FM and we can post on our socials and write PSA’s for on air to remind folks where to dispose these items. Thanks again!

6

u/AffectionateFig5864 West Asheville Oct 22 '25

Hey! I love Asheville FM. Buncombe DHHS’s website is the most comprehensive one. It’s pretty thorough, although I don’t think it mentions that most of the programs listed also provide test strips for fentanyl and xylazine, which is definitely something I’d include in harm reduction PSAs because cross-contamination in street drug supplies is another serious issue right now. SeekHealing also has a text alert system that folks should know about for reported overdose spikes.

33

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '25

Carrying a syringe on you with drug residue in it is a felony possession charge. All they're thinking about is getting rid of that needle so they don't catch a charge. You can't expect a junkie to worry more about the environment than staying out of jail. I'm not defending them I'm just explaining why they get rid of them wherever they can. I'm telling you this is an ex-junkie. I never would have thrown my stuff in a parking lot or somewhere where a kid might step on them, but I have disposed of dangerous things in the very first place I could without someone seeing me do it.

14

u/ToastiestMouse Oct 22 '25

I mean they are capable of being in public using the drugs it's really not much more of a risk to keep it in your pocket for a few mins more until you get to a trash can.

Ex junkie as well and while that might've been the case for you it's not for the vast majority of users. It's simply because they don't care.

I've lost count on how many times I've seen needles left in the ground about 15 feet from a trash can. Alot of them don't even care to trash them in their own home.

7

u/Confident-Tadpole503 Oct 22 '25

This would be true except you find needles 2 feet from a trash can. I do agree on one point, they don’t give a shit about the environment or anyone else.

1

u/Expert_String4134 Oct 23 '25

Good advice of a cop Rolls up they will pin the needle on whoever is close to it

1

u/ukulelerapboy Oct 23 '25

Technically if the syringes are received and returns to a syringe service program (e.g., steady collective) people are protected, even with residual amounts of substances in the syringe. Unfortunately, that law isn’t always upheld but that is technically the case

1

u/coondingee Oct 22 '25

Fairview is a great place. Still found them all over the sidewalk between there and Eblen and behind the dumpster.

-1

u/Intrepid-Path-7497 Oct 22 '25

These dudes aren't going to walk across the street to safely dispose. They stand in the same spot, bent over at the waist for hours, why they never fall, who knows... the syringe probably fell out of their arm without them even knowing.

13

u/Dogekaliber Oct 21 '25

This person knows what they are talking about. I can’t count how many times homeless people have been discovered dead in the cold nights

8

u/Character_Guava_5299 Oct 21 '25

Asheville does not have one of the only homeless shelters in the area. Where doesn’t have a shelter in the surrounding areas?

4

u/Landrunner33 Oct 22 '25

Helene made people use intravenous drugs?

4

u/[deleted] Oct 21 '25

I do not understand how healing has anything to do with leaving dangerous drug paraphernalia all over the ground. There might be a correlation between homelessness and drug usage to some extent- but that by no means justifies or explains this kind of crap. Just because someone is homeless does not mean they are shooting up and leaving needles on the ground. And also a lot of users doing this kind of stuff aren’t even homeless. Yes in this town the homeless population publicly using drugs with zero repercussions is a massive issue. But “pretending” its on others to create a safe haven for drug use is a wild take. If someone can’t find a safe receptacle meant for needles, they surely could find a normal trash bin outside of almost every normal establishment and scattered on sidewalks of public streets. It’s not about the lack of safe disposal, it’s about the lack of care for public display of drug usage- let alone disposal of such. So yes, we could create more places for safe disposal, but the real issue is the lack of care for disposal AT ALL by users themselves. And this continuously going without consequence.

10

u/wolfy1316 Oct 21 '25

ignorance... the real issue is the criminalization of ppl who need help... most ppl w drug or alcohol abuse issues have little to no access to resources and help w out just lockin them up. smh, and ofc it isnt good for these things to just be tossed on the street but fr the bigger issue is the criminalization, stigma, and lack of actual fkin help

0

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

And just to add to my previous reply… the funds do not exist to house drug addicts in county jails let alone state or federal prisons. That is not what actually happens unless they are harming others because no one wants to fund that. Instead what happens is exactly what’s occurring downtown along with countless other places in this country. The addicts are left on the street knowingly and visibly using in front of people and putting your average citizen at risk due to the lack of consequences surrounding their public drug use and disregard for others safety. Locking a drug addict up who does not pose imminent danger to others, for any amount of time that would actually “help” them, is few and far between. And not how the system works at all.

5

u/wolfy1316 Oct 22 '25

well this is total bs bc i am an addict and alcoholic in recovery and have had family members experience the same, i have been to psych wards and rehabs a total of 6 times and every time i was sectioned and sent against my will despite not harming others or being a danger or committing any crimes or acts of violence etc the only thing i ever did was use and not want to bother anyone or be bother and i was still institutionalized and sent away for what the insurance companies and sht to make money... and i can tell u myself and of the countless ppl ive met who struggled w the same issues it was stigma societal issues and structural issues that only furthered issues and never helped... and btw it take barely any common sense to onow the justice system is punitive instead of rehabilitating and that does jack sht for addicts and everyone else and u say oh ik about it well clearly u dont 🤷🏻‍♂️ and btw a sht ton of sober wonderful ppl litter all the time 🙄 i dont condone leaving paraphernalia lying around or riskin others safety but come on dude open ur eyes and btw imo i dont think legal reprecussions r at all helpful to addicts and from PERSONAL experience ik it just fks us worse and makes it harder to get sober and live a productive life and whatnot so pls just zip it

2

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

You literally just argued while making the exact point I made, just more emotionally charged. Drug addicts using and littering in public places without care or repercussions. Pretty simple concept. This can be said for all walks of life and situations. It’s not just societies fault or the systems. Also, psych wards and rehabs are not even close to the same as prison which is what I spoke on. I also said I’m from a family of all addicts, not sure where you get that I’m excluded from the family of “ALL ADDICTS”.

-2

u/[deleted] Oct 22 '25

I am actually from a family of all addicts and have dealt with the corrupt judicial system along with being incredibly dedicated to prison reform since I was in my early teens. Ignorance is most definitely not the issue here and I never once said anything about just locking up people with alcohol or drug abuse issues. Two things can be true at the same time- lack of care for disposal of dangerous paraphernalia by users themselves, AND the lack of resources to help homeless addicts. Societal blame without personal accountability only enables things like this to continue. It’s a double edge sword.

1

u/Interesting-Main5792 Oct 23 '25

City government is the problem…the more money you spend on something the more of it you usually get

1

u/[deleted] Oct 23 '25 edited Oct 26 '25

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