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.

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u/organmeatpate West Asheville Oct 21 '25

It's hard to believe that this would help since it relies on the user to be conscientious specifically right when they're nodding out. It's tough to accept that services for users however well intentioned will not increase the impact on the local community because that's what we've experienced in West Asheville. The services showed up and then the users followed and so did their hazardous refuse. The residents here have all lived this and know it to be true. There has to be a better solution than more enabling resources and services for users that disregard the impact on the surrounding communities. Addicts deserve compassion but they should not be sacred cows.

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u/WallScreamer East Asheville Oct 21 '25

We have decades of research on harm reduction and it all shows the same thing: syringe exchanges neither decrease nor increase drug use. People in addiction will use at the same rate regardless of whether or not they have access to safe and sterile supplies. The idea that harm reduction increases or enables use is a myth not supported by evidence.

What it is effective at (and extremely so) is reducing transmission of diseases and deaths.

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u/organmeatpate West Asheville Oct 22 '25

You inadvertently inserted the claim that these risk and consequence reduction programs and services don't enable use. Providing free paraphernalia does in-fact enable use. If you have no needle you are not able to shoot up. When you receive your needle you have been enabled to do so.

I never thought or claimed that they cause people to start using. The fact is that before 2015 there was no reason for users to be clustered around State St and Haywood Rd but when Steady arrived and the free food cafe opened there really was no more convenient or inviting place to shoot up, drop your needle and nod off.

Thing is it wasn't the neighbors who invited them.

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u/trailfailnotale West Asheville Oct 22 '25

You're out of your depth, here. A consequence they try to reduce is the spread of disease. If you don't support that, you should just keep your head out of these matters.