Edmonton Bus Station Video Exposes Harrowing Realities of North America's Opioid Crisis
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A chilling video of drug addicts at a bus station in Edmonton, Alberta, has brought attention to the ongoing opioid crisis across North America, with local officials seemingly unable to address the escalating problem.
Terrifying footage has emerged showing drug addicts at Edmonton's Clareview bus station behaving like zombies, just hours before school children were set to pass through, according to Dailymail.
The 15-second viral clip shows seven addicts in various states of stupor, with some hunched over nearly unconscious and others moving slowly around the room.
Viewers speculated that the addicts' behavior might be due to methadone, a medication used to treat heroin addiction, which can cause drowsiness.
Xylazine, an animal sedative known as 'tranq,' is also exacerbating the crisis, often combined with fentanyl, causing addicts to lose muscle control and zonk out.
A former opiate user described the footage as an 'endless downward spiral into a black abyss of misery,' expressing sympathy for the addicts while lamenting the hazardous waste they leave behind, such as needles.
Other viewers provided insight into the addicts' behavior, noting that heroin and fentanyl can cause a 'heroin hunch' where users freeze in place due to the drugs' effects.
One user explained the phenomenon as a mix of opiates and speed, causing the body to try to nod off while the central nervous system reacts to amphetamines.
While some called for institutionalizing addicts against their will, others pointed out that the problem is not unique to Edmonton but prevalent in cities across North America.
In Vancouver, British Columbia, a three-year experiment to decriminalize all hard drugs aims to eliminate the 'shame' of drug use and reduce overdoses by ensuring access to 'pure' supplies.
However, decriminalization has also allowed anyone over 18 to use hard drugs openly, including in public spaces.
British Columbia has seen 14,000 fatal overdoses since 2016, with fentanyl involved in 87% of deaths in 2021.
In San Francisco, the city faced its deadliest year for drug overdose deaths in 2023, with 806 fatalities, surpassing its previous record of 726 in 2020.
The rise in drug deaths has coincided with a crime wave, leading to business closures and an emptying city center.
Efforts to address the crisis, including increased police presence and opening a 'safe injection' site, have failed to reduce deaths.
Dr. Daniel Ciccarone, a professor at the University of California, warned that the epidemic is 'unbelievably resilient and horribly durable,' and current policies are not effective.
The drug crisis is contributing to a 'doom loop' in San Francisco, with 95 retailers in the downtown area closing since the start of the COVID pandemic, and office vacancy rates hitting a record high of 34% in 2023.
The situation in Edmonton, Vancouver, and San Francisco underscores the severity of the opioid crisis and the need for more effective solutions to address the public health emergency affecting cities across North America.
