[beaconstudios]

Also, presumably the issue of needles and human waste can be resolved with further prosocial investments in harm reduction facilities for drug users and housing for the homeless. These problems aren't intractable.

The UK's hardly a haven of social democracy, but I've never seen human excrement on the street and only seen needles off the beaten path. We don't do a very good job helping our homeless population though.

[erosenbe0]

In terms of urban detritus, some of the colder US cities might have comparable counterparts in the UK, just with shotspotter and much larger jails.

[atdrummond]

Glasgow is the single exception to that rule in my decade living in the UK and Isle of Man.

[dylan604]

>harm reduction facilities

To those unsympathetic to addiction being a medical condition, these facilities are just seen as legalization which goes against everything they've been fed. This isn't even a NIMBY thing as they don't just not want it in their area, they don't want them to exist at all.

Showing how they have worked in Europe, then they will just write it off as socialist policies run amok.

[tekknik]

In Europe do they give the users needles and drugs or do they actually fix the problem?

[beaconstudios]

giving people needles and drugs is called harm reduction for a reason - it's to reduce the risk of dirty needles and street drugs, these policies don't solve drug addiction, they just keep drug addicts safe(r). Solving drug addiction is actually a tremendously hard problem but it starts with helping rather than punishing addicts. Portugal is a good example of doing this right: drugs are broadly decriminalised and the government provides help to addicts. Here's an article on drug policies across Europe (and some other countries): https://www.foundationswellness.net/drug-abuse/do-other-coun...

Portugal: https://deserthopetreatment.com/addiction-guide/drug-industr...

[tekknik]

I’m all for providing help to addicts, but giving them the drugs doesn’t seem to help. While I offer no solutions, I don’t think this is working and believe there is a better way. Perhaps rehab centers or synthesized equivalents that decrease potency over time.

[beaconstudios]

therein lies the rub.