Kensington's Lawless Streets: Battling the Drug Crisis
Kensington, a neighborhood in Philadelphia, has become notorious for its rampant public drug consumption, particularly the use of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer known as the "zombie drug" or "tranq." Users can be seen passed out on sidewalks or stumbling through traffic, exhibiting scabbing or oozing flesh wounds from injecting themselves with needles. Xylazine has infiltrated the illicit drug supply, leading to unawareness among addicts who are injecting a dangerous concoction. The drug's effects can include trance-like states or extended periods of unconsciousness, and its gruesome wounds can result in serious infections and even amputations. Kensington was already grappling with the fentanyl epidemic before xylazine further exacerbated the drug crisis. Overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl have been on the rise, with Pennsylvania experiencing a high number of fatalities. The neighborhood's drug problem has caused immense suffering and loss, with addicts and local activists calling attention to the pain, violence, and poverty that plague the area.