The polka-dotted crack pipe vending machine garnered headlines around the world. But it barely gets a second glance from people wandering through a center for drug users in one of Canadas most notorious neighborhoods. In Vancouvers troubled Downtown Eastside, the machine is just another way the bustling center, run by the nonprofit Portland Hotel Society (PHS), purports to help people struggling with addictions. Free crack pipes have been a staple at the center for years, but leaders decided to try something new when they couldnt keep up with demand for the pipes glass stems, which can shatter from the heat of overuse, cut users mouths, and spread disease if shared.
Comments are closed.
