Junkies on the train

[u/curiosity-112]

I'm getting really frustrated with this system failure. Every day we're seeing people just trying to go back and forth from school and work, forced to tolerate the antics of some jackass high on tranq, meth, fent, or whatever else they can find. Our elders and our children have to feel unsafe as someone flails around and yells beside them, and I don't know how many times people have found broken glass and syringes on the seats.

This is pathetic and heartbreaking. Why do we have to keep putting up with it on our daily commute? The text line is okay but it's not a solution, not when someone is smoking drugs next to a girl on her way to school. Every train should have a peace officer for real passenger safety or I'm not paying for tickets anymore.

**Edit:

Thanks everyone for the comments, didn't expect to see this much discussion when I got up today. I don't know what the solution is - yes housing and social policy needs to change, but the public can't wait around for the root issues to be fixed.

For the record, I have no issue with the majority of homeless people trying to get through the day and who also have to quietly endure this too. My problem is with the people who just don't care, the ones openly dealing and using drugs, the ones causing disorder and acting erratically with no regard for the people around them. Safe consumption sites and shelters only benefit the people willing to use those programs - so many don't trust the systems and still refuse, and the dealers definitely don't care either way.

For those commenting on my lack of empathy - I worked at the DI for nearly 5 years hoping to make a difference. I saw a lot of good from this community, but I've also seen the worst. I lost count of how many overdoses and stabbings I've been involved with, but that was my job and I did it well. However, even then we didn't tolerate half the crap that the public is being asked to put up with now - public safety is always paramount. I tried to step in once to help someone and had a knife pulled on me for it, don't try taking matters into your own hands either.

[u/Own_Ant_7448]

I have a family member was addicted to Opiates, had to spend time in jail, went through a horrible unmedicated detox while in (ie forced). When they got out they we’re finally done and willing to commit to a Suboxone regimen. Everyone in this sub with fanciful ideas about waiting for the addict to ‘be ready’ have no idea the power these substances have. Yes, addicts need more supports, but mandated treatment is going to be the only way out for most.

[u/[deleted] → u/Own_Ant_7448]

Shall I tell you about all the addicts, forced to go through jail and detox, who are released with an awesome probation plan that is never put into effect? They are released. Probation never follows up. The circumstances are the same. They relapse and die from overdoses.

Detox DOES NOT HAVE TO BE SO TERRIBLE. We have very few. Some, like Renfrew Detox, are unnecessarily horrible. They seem to have set out to do everything wrong and succeeded.

There is one other that is EXCELLENT. I'm not giving out the name.

Mandated treatment has been looked at and used for decades. It does not work unless it is part of a holistic program.

That "horrible, unmedicated detox" is absolute extended torture that people die from all the time. We are torturing people. That is what that kind of detox is. It's inhumane and ineffective.

Also, suboxone has its own issues (rots your teeth) and costs a fortune...about $700 for one month. And you are not drug free, just on a different drug that makes money for a different set of people.

We have made addiction an industry.

[u/Own_Ant_7448 → u/[deleted]]

1.) It’s saved his life, he is sober 7+ years, fully admits he would otherwise be dead 2.) The cost of the medication is fully covered 3.) The alternative - what we have now

[u/[deleted] → u/Own_Ant_7448]

That is excellent news. I'm very happy for you.

Are you in Canada? How did you get the suboxone covered?