New street drugs are flooding Portland, Oregon. Fentanyl took over a few years ago, and now I’m seeing a gradual return of “clear” (meth). But the drug we should be most concerned about right now is flakka, also known as bath salts. It can cause severe psychosis, paranoia, and violent episodes. Pro-drug activists frame this as bodily autonomy—a person’s right to use. I see it differently. When someone has lost rational thinking and critical judgment, calling this “choice” isn’t compassion. It’s

When you see someone glamorizing or glorifying drugs, it’s usually the result of an addict caught in a self-perpetuating cycle. The brain’s survival mechanisms have been rerouted, making daily substance use an involuntary, primary drive. In this state, the world shrinks to the present moment—life becomes minute to minute, centered almost entirely on one question: where will the next fix come from? #homeless #addiction | Truth on the streets