Why are there so many drug addicted losers in WA state? (Seattle: crime rates, incomes)

[Minntoaz]

They're just more evident because laws about druggies and homeless people aren't enforced here hence tents on the sides of major interstates and needles flyin around there like they don't have day jobs. I don't think people that have been here for a while realize the absurdity of that- that is considered a crime in every other place in this country. Here it's part of life. They are just all welcomed graciously. I think now with an influx of people it's coming back to bite.

[SpringrainN]

Washington state is no worse than the rest of the US for drug addicts. Pretty much every state has drug issues now, and Washington is no exception to that rule.

About Vermont: I grew up mainly in Vermont, and I watched my beloved town be destroyed by the effects of drug--specifically meth, and smaller amounts of oxy and heroin--addiction. I lived in a tiny town 45 minutes northeast of Plattsburgh, New York. By the time we left, it had gotten to the point where the streets reeked. We couldn't mail anything to Vermont because the junkies would break into the post office and steal the mail. When I went back to visit last year, I saw syringes on the ground every few feet. Interestingly (and thankfully), there has not been one murder in that town, or any of the surrounding areas. Lots of junkies breaking into the banks, stores, whatever, but no one actually getting severely injured or killed. We moved from Vermont to Montreal in 2010 and couldn't believe the difference about drug use. Vermont has a serious epidemic of drugs, but no violence, thank God.

I live in a nice town now and yes, there's been issues, but that's unfortunately a fact of living in the US.

[mschrief]

We had property near Eatonville and decided not to build due to all the meth issues in the area. We sold the land and never looked back.

I would doubt that there would be any wiring left in the house if we ever went on a trip, etc. Thanks but no thanks,

[CrazyDonkey]

Seattle and environs is pretty much the end of the road - many end up stuck here or hereabouts, with Anchorage the only further stop, and unable or unwilling to go back to where they're from. We've also got rents going up faster than any other place in the nation - surveys have shown most "homeless" here are from here.

[Fat Freddy]

There have always been Bums, Hobos, and Dope Addicts.

They used to be considered Enemies of Social Order.

Now they are seen as Victims of Society.

As the population increases, and the human species devolves, and drugs become more potent, more profitable, and cheaper to obtain, the number of mentaly afflicted and addicted continues to grow.

This will continue.

[Jay F]

Originally Posted by Fat Freddy

There have always been Bums, Hobos, and Dope Addicts.

They used to be considered Enemies of Social Order.

Now they are seen as Victims of Society.

As the population increases, and the human species devolves, and drugs become more potent, more profitable, and cheaper to obtain, the number of mentaly afflicted and addicted continues to grow.

This will continue.

Yes and I strongly believe the current lack of judgement against drug addicts is a reason we are producing more drug addicts. The taboo is gone.

[BMI]

Originally Posted by Masterful_Man

WA state may not be the worst, apparently Vermont and our nation's capitol are even worse for drug abuse, but WA is still pretty high up there.

Any explanations for as to why?

Same thing for your neighbor to the north, British Columbia,
huge drug problem for decades.

Hard drugs and west coast seem to go together, gloomy winters don't help either.

[Matt Marcinkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Jay F

This will likely increase the drug epidemic in Oregon because more drug addicts will be on the streets and they will influence others to take drugs. If we were serious about solving the drug crisis we would copy what the President of the Philippines is doing.

That's one approach. Another approach is what Portugal did years ago when they decriminalized all drugs and officially began treating drug abuse as a public health problem rather than a criminal matter. Guess what, it's been working.

[Matt Marcinkiewicz]

Portugal decriminalized drugs in 2001; this article was written in 2015:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...=.72d72c71b63a

[austinnumbers]

How bad is the secondary crime in the PNW because of drug addiction? I'm thinking primarily of property crime (thievery, basically) and prostitution, i.e., crimes that help pay for more drugs. Is it worse in the eastern halves of both states?