KPTVOregon part of multi-state fentanyl bust; largest in DEA history1 hour ago wow....glad that shit is off the streets
As far as I'm concerned these guys may as well be selling rat poison, pure evil. When you think of the fact they were selling them as oxi and marked as so, pure ass evil. Put that mother fucker on Alcatraz, after you castrate him.
Well yeah. Being hooked on oxy is what got people wanting fentanyl so badly to begin with. It has always been sold as oxy.
Cut off the supply big time and build rehab centers if they dont want to get clean send them to a work farm/job core somewhere, dont just put them back out on the streets.
Just get them treatment and care. Get them housed. That's the only way this gets better. It's not a question of want. Some will never recover. But far more recover this way and with far fewer relapses. Punishing them (forcing them to live somewhere with reduced freedoms) serves nobody and costs more than simply housing and treating them. You can't cut off the supply. These are made from off the shelf chemicals.
Life is about choices for everyone, if a habitual addict refuses treatment over and over and wants to live on the street. Its time to for them to get serious about change or be penalized. I hope you think that it does help to get that kind of qty off the street.
You get them off the street by housing them. This has been done successfully many places. Including here in the US. It works. Far better than any punishment. People don't need to be punished for having a disease. Which is what addiction is. If they are committing crime (theft or damage of property, or harming others) then they should absolutely be punished, like anybody else. But that simply doesn't happen in high numbers if you offer them freedom, housing and treatment. If somebody is intoxicated on the street police can remove them. They can take them home or to a health center. Nothing further is needed.
How many of you have even talked to a homeless person? I have a friend that goes downtown weekly and brings homeless folks meals. He has said many of these people went bankrupt due to health issues and turned to substances because they were so depressed. Oregon groups are trying to make Oregon the first state that offers Healthcare for all. They are hoping something like that is on the ballot fall 2026.
I haven't. Super busy with the kids. But this makes a ton of sense. This would be absolutely incredible.
How about if someone is fucked up either way and breaking the law? Many dont want help at all and dont want responsibility for getting by day to day which is fine with me if thats their choice. Ive been an advocate of more housing and also mental institutions for those that need it. And for some they need to be punished/penalized for willingly breaking the law. Im almost 75 and looking back at a glance have seen many things tried some of it works and some doesn't. Ive had family and friends on the street, in prison and mental hospitals and the one common thread ive witnessed is those that want help and have a desire for change can make it happen. This whole issue hits home and ive learned a few things believe it or not.
I've already said people who are breaking the law causing harm to others should be punished. We have actual evidence of what works. We should do what evidence proves actually works. We should not torture people just because we don't like them or their decisions. Evidence shows that it is not effective and is far more expensive.
Does this mean Salem gets labeled the ultimate sanctuary city and is the first invaded by ICE and Trump's other goons? Don't get me wrong, this is great, get that shit off the street, it's just a little weird that Salem is the only specific city mentioned. That a 36 year old kingpin lives in the capitol city of one of the most progressive states in the union is rather convenient for the state of emergency at the border...
Respectfully, evidence shows that many dont want help and they want to keep on living as they wish. If they are offered housing, med/addiction help and a way forward and they tell ya to pound salt, what do you do with them?
It is important to separate the groups. Other cities already do this. Those with substance abuse issues that don't want help are in one shelter. The rest that want help are in another shelter.
Evidence shows that doesn't happen very often at all. And if you offer no-strings and secure housing they have no constitutional right to camp in public. What else do you want? So they tell us to pound sand and don't get treatment. They'll die younger. That's their choice... They'll be a cautionary example for people to avoid drugs. Nobody WANTS to live that way.
