Boston Neighborhood Struggles with Unchecked Needles After Public Safety Meeting
In a disturbing display of the ongoing struggle with addiction in Boston's South End, a group of volunteers has collected nearly 180 discarded needles from a neighborhood park in just six days. The alarming finding was made by residents who have grown tired of seeing needles scattered throughout the area.
A recent public safety meeting at Cathedral High School brought attention to the growing issue of drug use and dealing in the neighborhood. Steve Fox, a South End advocate, reported that the volunteers picked up 180 needles from Southwest Corridor Park. The park is home to playgrounds and walking paths meant for families to enjoy.
The city's distribution of over 81,000 needles per month has been reduced by 22 percent since last year. However, Councilor Ed Flynn believes the number still needs to be decreased significantly. He stated that 80,000 needles a month is "excessive" and urged residents to report discarded needles to 311.
Residents have taken matters into their own hands, with some using the needles to spell out an SOS message in front of the children's playground. The volunteers took great care to ensure no children were present during the pick-up process. Fox shared a post on Facebook expressing concern over the safety risks associated with outdoor drug use near spaces intended for families.
The South End residents have been "pleading with city officials" to help them address this critical issue, Flynn said. He noted that residents are constantly picking up needles in parks and called for increased resources to support needle collection efforts. Furthermore, Flynn advocated for the establishment of a recovery campus in Greater Boston to provide support services.
The alarming discovery has brought attention to the need for community action. As one resident aptly pointed out on Instagram, "This is what parents, residents, and volunteers are finding where children should be playing, dogs should be walking, and we should be enjoying these beautiful green spaces without worrying about dangerous needles."
In a disturbing display of the ongoing struggle with addiction in Boston's South End, a group of volunteers has collected nearly 180 discarded needles from a neighborhood park in just six days. The alarming finding was made by residents who have grown tired of seeing needles scattered throughout the area.
A recent public safety meeting at Cathedral High School brought attention to the growing issue of drug use and dealing in the neighborhood. Steve Fox, a South End advocate, reported that the volunteers picked up 180 needles from Southwest Corridor Park. The park is home to playgrounds and walking paths meant for families to enjoy.
The city's distribution of over 81,000 needles per month has been reduced by 22 percent since last year. However, Councilor Ed Flynn believes the number still needs to be decreased significantly. He stated that 80,000 needles a month is "excessive" and urged residents to report discarded needles to 311.
Residents have taken matters into their own hands, with some using the needles to spell out an SOS message in front of the children's playground. The volunteers took great care to ensure no children were present during the pick-up process. Fox shared a post on Facebook expressing concern over the safety risks associated with outdoor drug use near spaces intended for families.
The South End residents have been "pleading with city officials" to help them address this critical issue, Flynn said. He noted that residents are constantly picking up needles in parks and called for increased resources to support needle collection efforts. Furthermore, Flynn advocated for the establishment of a recovery campus in Greater Boston to provide support services.
The alarming discovery has brought attention to the need for community action. As one resident aptly pointed out on Instagram, "This is what parents, residents, and volunteers are finding where children should be playing, dogs should be walking, and we should be enjoying these beautiful green spaces without worrying about dangerous needles."
can't even imagine having to pick up that many needles in a park where kids wanna play it's not just the needles tho, its the whole lack of support for people struggling with addiction, we need more than just collection efforts, we need resources and help. 80k needles a month is still too much imo 
I totally get why the South End neighborhood is at their wit's end 
. 180 discarded needles in just six days? That's crazy! 
It's not just a safety issue, but also an environmental one - who wants to walk in parks littered with used needles? 
Not me, that's for sure 
. I think it's awesome that residents are taking matters into their own hands and coming together to clean up the streets. But we need our city officials to step up too! 
Councilor Flynn is right on track saying 80,000 needles a month is excessive 
. We should be focusing on providing support services for those struggling with addiction rather than just collecting the needles. Let's work together to create a safer and healthier community for everyone 
I mean, 81,000 needles per month is still too much for me... and it's not just the needles themselves, but the whole stigma around addiction that's causing this problem in the first place. We need to have some open conversations about how we can support people struggling with addiction, rather than just leaving them to fend for themselves on the streets. And what about these recovery campuses? That sounds like a great idea! 
Let's work together to make our city safer and healthier for everyone 
. I mean, I know some people are doing their part, but we can't just rely on that alone. We need a bigger plan to tackle this epidemic before someone gets seriously hurt or worse... 
. Councilor Ed Flynn's idea of decreasing the number of needles per month from 80,000 to something more manageable is definitely in order. It's crazy that residents have to take matters into their own hands and use the needles to spell out SOS messages, just to bring attention to the problem.
. Councilor Flynn is right, though - this is excessive and it needs to change ASAP 
.
. And yeah, having a recovery campus would be amazing, that sounds like a great idea 
. The thing is, it's not just about the needles, it's about the whole cycle of addiction and how we address it as a community. We need to support each other and get to the root of the problem 
this is so sad 
i think if we got to the root of the problem it might make a bigger difference than just collecting all the needles 
it's like no one cares or anything anymore. i feel bad for the kids who have to play with that as their playground and the parents who can't even take their dogs out without worrying about getting hurt 
but at the same time i get why councilor flynn thinks it's still not enough.