The Worsening Drug Problem in Mestre: A Local’s Perspective

TEACHER – “We now know the drug addicts in the neighborhood personally, some for years, and it is painful to see how they have transformed as a result of drugs over time.. Lately we see a lot more foreign kids than in the past, before there were more Italians wandering around the neighborhood looking for stuff, and they are increasingly younger: I saw kids in their twenties but also 18 or even younger. Many probably belong to those small groups of “high commuters” who come to the city at the weekend in search of cheap drugs and stay in structures near the station.”

INSIGHTS

Degradation

It is yet another story of ordinary degradation, that of a young inhabitant of via Ariosto, who prefers not to appear with his name and surname, «because you never know… – he continues – They are willing to do anything to find a dose: behind In my house, girls prostitute themselves to be able to afford drugs and I let them imagine what they find on the street, including organic waste, syringes, condoms and excrement.” A story of exasperation for the unfortunate situation and for the resignation of some of the residents, who “seem to be getting used to the degradation, and this is the worst thing because we must not stop fighting and being indignant. I call the police every day because I see dozens of people outside my house, sometimes even in the internal courtyard of the condominium, or in the underpass leading to the station, consuming drugs at any time. Those are areas where workers pass by, me first and foremost, working on the railways, but also elderly people, women alone, children, families. There’s no way they should have to dodge the syringes, or step over these people sprawled on the ground intent on getting high.”

Like many inhabitants of Mestre, the anonymous resident of via Ariosto is of the opinion that the establishment of “hole rooms” would solve many problems: “we equip areas for them, with the necessary assistance, so at least we remove them from street”. The temptation to take the law into your own hands is strong, especially when you don’t see a timely response from the police: «A couple of times, exasperated, I went down into the courtyard with a baseball bat to chase away groups of junkies who entered , they take drugs and leave their “tools of the trade” on the ground. I don’t know how useful it can be to report these situations but only the newspapers listen to us, but we continue to hope that the authorities will decide to do something.”

2023-09-18 00:47:51
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