San Francisco Streets (Part 3/6) - Harm Reduction Facility

I can understand needle exchange and after your first visit you should only get new rigs if you bring back old ones to keep them off the street. But foil and crack pipes and pipe cuzzi.... I don't think get the harm reduction.

rich sonner

😬😬

Jayron32X

That’s a you problem

Samantha

Oh no now I hear it 😖

Samantha

100

Samantha

You totally can Sheldon if you want to live life free… I am one of millions who have… bottom of the barrel junkie, worst of the worst - to clean and free many years living peacefully in recovery. NA (12 step) and accepting Jesus into my heart as my Lord and savior is what works for me… Call on Jesus he can and wants to help you

Samantha

Cc opiate withdrawal is not deadly. I was a heroin addict for 15 years

Samantha

Man… if one could get high off of cognitive dissonance, a quick spin through this comments section would create a whole new Tenderloin district in every town in America. Good Christ, we are fucked.

Vernon T. Waldrip

idk if its bc im high but i couldt understand a word the guy in the blue shirt & hat was saying lol

lavender F

True disease are prevented from spreading.

ITZBLAQ SBC

Ricky has good physique. Good for him

andrew

its not meant to get them sober. it is meant to keep them alive and provide opportunities to get help. building rapport and trust with even one person who is willing to help, that is the point. that way when somebody becomes ready to get clean, they know where to go and how to do it. dead people don't recover

Mitchell Rotoloni

Interview the author of "San Fransicko"

Matthew Novick

“love, support, and compassion actually works. people don’t get sober because they’re ashamed, people who stay sober do it because they love” what an optimistic understanding of addiction - i had so much love, support, and compassion coming my way for the 5 years i spent addicted to heroin. i did not stay sober because i was “learning to love myself.” very nice idea, but sorry, you can’t “hope” the debilitating drug addiction away, and no amount of needles you give to an addict is going to get them sober.

Spencer Swensen

wishing harm on an innocent person to teach their parent a lesson...weird take

B

For every 25-30 addicts in a drug court program in prison there are 1-2 Therapists for the class. Just like in school, there just isn't enough man power behind the solutions to fully help every single person. For Wynn to be one of the lucky few who was able to Sober up(which idk, he just seems vindictive over being caught to be honest) and then just shit on individuals that were the product of his own sins himself is just beyond inhumane behavior to me. The aggressiveness is just a terrible thing that feels akin to shitty youtuber pranks that force themselves into other peoples lives with a lense pointing at them. He doesn't want these people to get help he wants them to go through what he did.

bret hart

You're as stupid as the Ricci guy. She is actively helping people and your first reaction is wishing her daugther becomes a drug addict, are you unwell ?

Hugo Requer

Enabler-- holy shit, just be nice. Takes a lot to get that down and it takes unconditional regard to just start the process to get them up again

Joe H

i somewhat agree with you. but you have to keep in mind that opioid withdrawals are deadly. are you killing them by giving them drugs or are you killing them by not giving them drugs? both are true, but by enabling them they're at least gonna see another day, another day to maybe start turning their life around

cc

That woman is an enabler and a moron … I hope her daughter gets into drugs so she can realize the bullshit she’s pushing

Jacob Johnson

Thank you for speaking on this from a perspective on someone that's gone through it. Even in the video he talks to people who haven't even THOUGHT of getting sober. Your point about preventing people from hitting rock bottom is spot on.

Throw it away

For those without mental health issues that will continue to make these decisions regardless.. they need facilities that can help them.. not more supplies to help them continue to use. I know that the intention is good..but it's hurting not helping most.

James Seiber

A person will not get sober until they are ready and chose to. Most addicts don't see this as a way to establish the bridge..they see it as a way to get what they want easier and for longer. Establish this relationship for those that show some willingness. This is enabling..point blank. Some of it is good and necessary.. A lot of it is wayy wayyy too far imo.

James Seiber

If those same folks were mandated to complete treatment, instead of enabled, the chance to sober up in a better mind state, treat for their mental health, treat the wounds and diseases, allowing for the lights to turn on and choose to then use the support in tools.. it doesn't get to that point. Enabling them to do so doesn't help the situation. I'm from the inner cities of baltimore..I know all sides of it.. but there's a reason it's not to this level with all of the same issues where I am. It is still really bad in some areas, and there's some of these resources.. but there aren't massive tent cities everywhere handing out the ability to do so without consequence like it's candy. This only helps in various ways.. It's very complex. I see your side of it. But this just doesn't work. All of the data is based on the ones who choose to go through the testing not the ones who will never do that and are out their dying. You'll never hear from them to get your numbers. The ones coming into hospitals for these data collection usually don't tell the 100 percent truth because they are doing it for the drug money and aren't ready to be totally honest yet. I could go on and on.. but I'm sorry.. this isnt the answer.

James Seiber

Working in infectious disease and seeing people lose their limbs from sharing cotton and cookers I heavily disagree. Antibiotics are great when people can complete them, but as I’m sure you can attest to, people in actively using still have lives to tend to. When IV antibiotics are required (which is most of the time because people avoid coming in until they’re septic and knocking on deaths door) most hospitals want to keep the patient for 2-6 weeks because they don’t trust them to have antibiotic infusions outpatient. This leads to people leaving after only partial treatment and what does that do? Create resistant bacteria. What happens when bacteria becomes resistant? It can’t be treated by antibiotics so it spreads and makes its way to other people.

Corey G

This 15 minute segment is so important! I wish I could share it. Working in the industry, I can tell you the stigma against harm reduction comes from fear of the unknown and lack of understanding. Thank you for exploring the “whys”. Something to note, syphilis can be transmitted via shared needles or sexual activity. Left untreated syphilis can attack the eyes, ears, and brain. The US is going through a rough time trying to get people tested and treated because syphilis often will appear as a “what is that thing?” lesion for a week or so and then go asymptomatic. For pregnant women this can lead to the aforementioned complications in addition to losing their baby or having a baby born with profound lifelong complications. If you’re reading this - especially if you use needles for drugs - get tested for syphilis! [Pro tip: If your doctor says they don’t know how to test for it tell them to order an RPR test with a reflexive titer, then suggest they learn to google CDC guidelines.]

Corey G

I volunteered at one of the needle exchanges in Vancouver, B.C. for 7 years and am so delighted to hear this fellow's emphasis on mouthpieces for rigs/other under-represented aspects of harm reduction. For what it's worth--and apropos of other videos in the S.F. series--it's not just needles, alcohol swabs, and pipes: lube is also an essential tool of harm reduction. Also, thanks for the vid on my cowtown hometown. I love aggregates.

ACB

i think that was the point

Travis A Johnson

yeah i agree. andrews interviews usually don't seem biased, but this one did because of the music

Cameron McIntyre

even if you don't agree with his methods i think we can all agree its great that he's doing what he can to help

Cameron McIntyre

GO TO OAKLAnD

dannyjownswin

5 years clean..working in recovery daily. This isnt harm reduction. Narcan and treatment is. This is enablement. Point blank. When I was getting high..this kept me from hitting my bottom and changing my perspectives. If youre gonna give free needles to those super far along in their journey.. ok..but free pipes..cookers..cotton..tin foil.. wow. Going hard.

James Seiber

I obviously won't say it's the end of everything and that it changed me, because unfortunately, I haven't been able to stop, and I don't know if I ever will. But, just the fact people know, and understand, to the extent that they do. Lets me know at least some make it out, and if they didn't, that someone knows what they're going through. Thank you for the video.

Sheldon Vaux

I haven't seen this before. I struggle hard when it comes to my addiction. The perspective from the people trying to help is insurmountable, at least to someone like me. These are people that truly understand what is going on, why we do it, and ways to help.

Sheldon Vaux

With the alternative being them using a rusty razor blade and contrasting tetanus or HIV? Yes I absolutely would, and if you wouldn’t then you’re more concerned with aesthetics than you are with others’ health.

Benji Spetter-Goldstein

The music under Ricky. Channel 5 understands the power of the edit. Love you guyssssssss.

Rachel Swan

I’ve volunteered at St. Anthony’s before, it’s really eye-opening talking with the people you meet. I’ve been lucky enough to never have to be in situations like this but going to St. Anthony really makes you appreciate your own life as well as understanding different walks of life. Hopefully this series can raise some awareness and spark some change for SF cuz it definitely needs change.

Paolo Choa

Blame Stephanos Bibas and Thomas L. Ambro for not being able to see the clear difference between a safe site and a crackhouse

elilauffer

Like Hamsterdam from The Wire

homebrew901

The jazz track interviewing Ricky is such a great choice

Joshua Rose

displ;ornaty

Jonathan Strength

I love the discoherent twilight zone theme whenever the crazy republican spews lol

elilauffer

Great video. Only criticism of the editing is that the loud, discordant piano music playing while the interviewees are talking is distracting and annoying. Don't think that should be tried again lol.

Ariel Berdugo

Bro this blue shirt dude is such an edge lord. For a former drug dealer he sure does have a whole lot of contempt for those people effected the worst by it. Maybe he should just go back to selling drugs instead of churning out sound bites of outrage for Fox.

george wesley

One year sober & I'm a living testament that harm reduction works & saves lives. I know many others it's helped as well 🖤

Peach

Listening to blue shirt get through a sentence is one of the hardest acts of patience in life. Amazing work as always Andrew!

CosmicTrashPanda

I feel like it would work a lot better if they did what they used to do and opened a safe SPACE as well. That way you ensure a good environment and have a larger presence of people who can help you get over addiction. By bringing addicts into a space like that, it might make it easier for us as a whole to connect them to the resources they need, instead of wandering the streets or relying on them seeking help themselve

Ryan

I understand that, but it's not like he used 5 minutes of a sappy piano piece. He used an atonal / dissonant free-improvisational sounding piece, and then a short ambient cut... You missed the mark on how Channel 5 used it here though. They were actually some really good, thought-provoking pieces that didn't evoke any specific emotion...

Hjn

Minor annoyance: when people make a statement and follow it immediately with "Right?" It's fn contagious, I find myself repeating it after hearing someone else say it every 10 seconds!

Jayron32X

Agree

Grazy Santos

I'm gonna be that guy and say check the spelling on corporate. FUCK BIG PHARMA though for real. All I'm saying is harm reduction in general is a HUGE JOKE. They should be giving out methadone! Enabling shooting or smoking dope is 100% not reducing harm done.

J Tulip

idk how you saw that and came to that conclusion. both of yall. did you not see the effects needle sharing has? its a combinination issue. ppl need help with addiction and protection from hiv/std etc. if anything latino homeboy and both of yall are the jokes. laughing in the faces of the weak. yall too selective with your attention. the whole doc, at least on yt and even more so to this point, has made clear these are the affects of CORPRATE GREED. CORPRATE GREED. like huh? CORPRATE GREED

Isaac James Lewis

The harm reduction programs absolutely do not lead to more people being addicted. They just help prevent things like hep b and prevent deaths from OD. The programs themselves don’t give out drugs except for one program here in BC that gives out an opioid that’s less potent then fentanyl in order to help addicts get off fentanyl. But to qualify for the program you have to be a severe fent addict and it’s a tiny program. High school kids are most definitely not getting drugs from this program

kai hansen

Hell yeah

Jori Vajretti

To you morons, enabling is stopping people from dying. Think about what you're saying. Even if you don't care about their lives (i doubt you do) it helps keep them out of hospitals and ER which we would be paying for.

Luis

You’re not lying but also fuck you and what’s anyone on here going to do about it. You’re a drop in the bucket ‘Luis’ there’s a million of yous.

J Tulip

How is that telling themselves? Preventing disease and other secondary consequences of drug use saves a massive amount of resources in the long run.

Bodey Marcoccia

You're a fucking 🤡 and with your full name and profile pic, hilarious

Luis

1000% agree!!

J Tulip

60 years of liberalism

homebrew901

If she really believes in health she'd work on not being obese. I bet if Andrew brought it up she'd get mad and say he's fat shaming.

homebrew901

Seriously she's one of those people who'd go on social media and brag about her kids wanting to become trans. These people are as mentally ill as the addicts.

homebrew901

Yes it is. It's clearly enabling. But they compartmentalize it in their mind so they'll feel like a good person. That's what liberalism/ leftism is all about.

homebrew901

Probably a former addict who tells themselves that they're being a good person by "help preventing disease" when he straight up just said he'll teach someone how to shoot up. It's literally enabling but they compartmentalize it in their brain to tell themselves what they're doing is good.

homebrew901

I think the guy in the blue shirt didn't get a suggestion for a detox/ rehab because deep down they knew he wasn't being serious. Or they've seen his videos before and recognized him. My issue is the addicts take the clean works and then just dump them on the street for children to step on or get into. They're operating on this liberal dream fantasy that everyone is a good person when they're not. Harm reduction is lowkey enabling but they compartmentalize it with the "well at least they won't spread disease" bit they all tell themselves.

homebrew901

Guy in the blue shirt is a joke what he does is not helping

718savedme

Whats the percentage of people addicted to drugs now vs before the programs in BC? I've only seen videos about the street markets selling clean drugs, and HS kids getting ahold of them and getting addicted/oding.

Thomas Harrison

Drug addiction is both a symptom of societal failures AND the problem. But if you get a serious or fatal disease from drugs, then your chances of rehab are greatly diminished.

bird

The point isn't to reduce the number of addicts, it's simply to reduce the harm done to addicts by their addiction in the same way that seat belts aren't there to make you crash less, but reduce the harm done if/when you crash. Also probably aids recovery a bit, I doubt I'd be motivated to stop using drugs if I had hepatitis C and HIV.

Lawrence

Grew up around users and always understood to never touch and seen good friends from better backgrounds and become users . This is raw and needs to be seen to understand how easy it is to become an addict . It can happen to anyone

Cesar mortera

The NPO center is basically a bandaid. Like preventative care goes a long way. If an addict catches an STD and then sleeps with a non addict, those STDs spread through to the general population too. What would really help is to get them away from cities where they can access drugs and into supportive communities with stable housing but realistically, that's not gonna happen because people don't understand that that's worth funding. Ricci is literally just bullying people. He's acting like he's their boss meanwhile he's admitted to dealing. How are you gonna get arrested for dealing and come out acting superior to addicts? Not sure how he's right. He's just punching down.

Ignatius Glaive

My best friend was saved by harm reduction. After going to the same place for needles, he asked if they could get him help. He's 6 years clean and with a wife now. Dude is even into fly fishing now.

Lee Knox

Just want to say that the Sf government is cashing in 10000x of what this guy is getting paid. The homeless industrial complex.

Andrew Peacock

29 million is not enough to actually push any progress into getting people off drugs, i think richie and the NPO center blonde lady are both right, but neither is arriving at the right solution that actually works

Urdnot Wrex

It's sooo wild seeing the layers that make up the (2nd) fall of San Fran. These harm reduction people seem like they legitimately care about people and while I was suuuper weirded out by it at first, the program is way more nuanced than I initially thought. (Although it's super weird to spend tax money on it. I can imagine why that would really piss people off in a state with such high taxes.) Wynn seems to be pushing for people to get well the same way he did, but it's very clear that the way he got better does not work for the mass majority of the population. His heart is in the right place tho for sure. Just another example of a long looong list of problems we are facing that stem from income inequality and companies looking out for nothing but their best interests. Channel 5 is the greatest of all time, can't wait to see the rest of this series.

Easton Myers

Wow. The harm reduction guy. Just wow man.

Norm Jones IV

That harm reduction guy is a fucking joke

J Tulip

This is what journalism should be. Let both sides present their strongest arguments.

Ryan Crandall

We need comprehensive, engineered solutions to these massive problems. I am all about that. getting in the discord now

Pan Fryer

Having said that, majority of people still threw their used gear away under the bridges.

Molly Rose

I volunteered at a health service in Australia kind of like this. We mostly provided clean syringes and a safe place to dispose of them on top of saline and tourniquets were also available. It was confronting some days because on a few occasions people would just try to hand you their used needles with blood on them. And of course your reaction when someone hands you something is to take it from them. Luckily I never came into contact with any biohazard.

Molly Rose

Its purpose is to lessen deaths and the transmission of deadly diseases. Drug addiction is a symptom of a societal issue, not the problem itself.

Briana

I get the intent. But man, I just can't get behind it. You wouldn't give clean razor blades to someone who cuts themselves, would you? I'd like to see the numbers of how much this actually helps reduce the number of drug addicts.

Stephen Stanton

u doing good work tho. Hail the prophet of the free speech. Hell yee

Alex_Capital_Destroyer

Andrew, i think that sunglass guy is talking real g shit, and that off key classic bs muisc overlay is just distracting people off the point. ON GOD

Alex_Capital_Destroyer

People are talking about the piano at 12:00, but it goes against a lot of your talk against media bias. Music is one of the best, if not the best, influences affecting emotion in the film medium, and it’s clear you’re trying to make people feel a certain way. Something to keep in mind, but I’m sure you know that.

Choady_Arias

The purpose of interviewing him was to show a point view that is incredibly common. I live in Vancouver, BC where we have a very similar situation and I hear countless people say the same things that Wynn does. I agree harm reduction is critical and Andrew seems to as well. I think that Andrew is hoping that viewers who watch this interview will realize Wynns point of view is wrong!

kai hansen

Impatient little boy. Calm down.

Louis Toadvine

What was the purpose of interviewing Wynn? He's an idiot who is cashing in on one the worst public health crises our country has ever seen. Either you believe everyone deserves health and dignity or you don't; obviously he doesn't. But, to say he actually BELIEVES in anything is going out on a limb. Harm reduction is critical. Ask the people in Southern Indiana, who were caught in an HIV/AIDS epidemic b/c Governor Mike Pence refused to allow harm reduction... until he felt it was politically expedient. It's basic health and welfare.

Ted Byron

Me too ☹️

David

Yes correct El Jefe. They just don't know because they only read half the literature or something.

Nico

The Nordic model doesn't work if you don't also implement legally imposed rehabilitation programs instead of prison for multiple time offenders. People breaking laws in order to get drugs need help. Not easier access to drugs.

El Jefe

This is a tough one to watch

Greg Bunch

I really think you should have shown more of you're interview with Lydia and the harm reduction center in the YouTube video. Great video overall but I think we're some of the most relatable people in the whole series and you really cut them short

Nathan Landau

Who did the piano accompaniment at 12:00 minutes? It's perfect

Sean McCann

The video is showing two different sides of an argument. I’m on the white lady’s side but also I understand and get some of the stuff that guy ricci was saying and talking about…

abbyyy

Great video. I’m learning a lot of new things through channel 5.

abbyyy

CLOWN WORLD

Will

This so hard to watch. You gotta let it buffer for double the length of the video. It's so upsetting

Adam Anderson

Player is sooo bad..... So much buffering

Adam Anderson

Strong agree

Heady topper

the piano at the end is so fucking genius. amazing.

DOT stay away from me

I joined patron just for the rest of this doc. Series 👍🏼👍🏼

Jay

I joined for part 4,5,6 :(

Bogdan Iordache

Amazing that the through line for so many of these people in obtaining and maintaining a stable life was by getting a union job.

Jacob

I thought it was phenomenal, made it much more dramatic

Joseph Gutstadt

^^^FACTS!!! I joined Patreon for the first time...Is Andrew a bipper now ?

Sebastian Echavarria

Where’s part 4,5, 6 like promised? Im trying to watch the drug dealer and pimp shit

Koolio 777

That 29million grant that guy was bitching about is the definition of drop in the bucket when it comes to SF annual tax revenue. 2022 tax revenue was $5,998,800,000 so that grant which was spread out to numerous harm reduction facilities makes up slightly less than 0.5% of the annual revenue. This douchebag is praising jail and everything else while complaining about the cost of harm reduction grants when his dumbass doesn't even understand that jailing those people costs boatloads more than 29million every year. Some people are either incredibly ignorant willfully or not and or just to stupid to actually take an objective look at cost versus outcome. Seriously fuck these people complaining about a one time grant that goes to helping people just because "but muh tax dollars" learn to fucking count people.

Levi Blair

Good for speaking up about your experience since probably many of us, like myself, don't really know. My question is what did you do or what worked for you to get off of the streets? I'm assuming you are in a better place now, but I could be wrong.

Brian Lee

this was my exact thought, both are right in different ways. as an ex addict if i didnt have a kick in my ass and jail time i would be dead. but that doesnt mean we should do fuck all for struggling addicts

Keefer K

As an ex addict Im torn by this. We had clean needles back in SF in the late 80's &90's when i was homeless using there. But DAYUM they're giving away so much boujie shit! And addicts get a 10 pack of rigs and sell them for a couple bucks here and there so they ARE how some get $$ to use. In any event we need more mental health centers- especially detox and wound care centers AND more ability to mandate people go to them if they're laying in teh street covered in feces and gout sores

Karen Vano

the supplies they show aren't even fancy. the point of harm reduction is safety so why would they give unsafe supplies.

Daniel Downer

Karen Vano

"dead people dont recover" that really hits

Frei Kjær

So are you saying that the number of drug users on the street is not an appropriate metric for local government to consider?

Zeeshan Pirzada

Enablers dude this is creepy and fucked up

lil' Stitch

Yeah, saving people’s lives is useless when compared to how annoying it is that homeless drug users exist.

Loren Carvalho

That lady basically said all the kids are raised just like my daughter cuz “she isn’t scared blah blah” like stfu speak for yourselves not other ppl ya dumb bimbo

Dads Acct

Andrew is the premier anthropologist of our time. Capturing both the history and the consequences of our time. God bless. Wish you all the best. Peace.

Trevor Koskela

80k per year https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/942992645

Loren Carvalho

for the effect. like the piano player stumbles the notes like the guy trying to organize his thoughts and speech

Haymose

You have to do one on how stupid the sunset district has become ! Everyone’s in curated outfits and sucks at surfing.

Nathan Kravitz

I've loved every uncut or extended interview so far

Eli Purl

This was great. Thanks Andrew

S.C. Bellenchia

Bruh this is a 6 part series. How much longer form can you get? I'm sure the uncut vids are ass

S.C. Bellenchia

Homie worked hard on that

S.C. Bellenchia

Ive been loving the uploads recently!! I went to your live show last year and you teased a more in depth reporting of Kelly J Patriot- im so excited for that vid to come out!

Kaitlin

Excellent stuff

Dillon

Fantastic interviews with the harm reduction service, thanks Andrew. Good people doing good work for the love of other humans. Harm reduction is most definitely not a complete solution, but it's a step in the right direction and governments should be funding it alongside other means of support.

Matt

whats with this music playing while someone is talking shit is wack

JB

I think people forget how much goes into getting someone clean - harm reduction is just one piece of the pie. Most people also need a home, support network, mental healthcare, physical healthcare, and purpose. These problems will take more time than you'd think to solve them. Anyways, I really loved this one - super educational!

z dawg

This was my thoughts exactly. I want to believe that there is help but i would like to see some stats, actual cases, or anything quantifiable otherwise it sounds like misleading

Jesus Sanchez

trying to corner people into getting clean doesn't work. like she says, love opens up the opportunity for people to want to help themselves. you can't force people to stop using, they have to decide to

Sandy M

whoever was playing the piano around the 12min mark was goin crazy fr

TOO TANN

Remember when youre watching that woman with the blue glasses speak, the Executive Director there, remember that earlier in the video someone said you need to earn at least $5k a month to live in SF. I wonder how much money that lady earns handing out drugs to dope fiends. Bet she's putting it in a house that's worth like $1.2 million now.

Lame Lade

I work as a handyman in an organization that gives housing to homeless. In Seattle. I can easily see both sides you gave voice to on this subject. Both are correct.

Allen Link

Why can't you have harm reduction with conditions of getting clean best of both worlds conditional harm reduction

MorleyMason

29 million dollars; seeing the reaction of the woman when exposed about the funding, says it all. I support healthy access to drug dependent persons; but not at the expense of the victims of this health epidemic.

Ryan Todd

nit: Andrew, your audio is desynced a little at 14:14. Excellent video, the "debate" structure is super interesting, as a San Franciscan myself I struggle between trying to figure out what the right answer is for this problem. On extremes, option 1 you just lock up all the addicts and give them mandatory rehab, or option 2 give all the addicts a home, drug paraphernalia, and a therapist. During APEC last week (major political conference with world leaders) the Tenderloin was completely cleaned up & homeless kicked out, pretty incredible to witness and felt pretty amazing being able to walk the streets out there and not have to constantly dodging riff raff and poop on the ground. Obviously they just moved the homeless while world leaders were in town and they're going to return, but that makes the immediate relief of option 1 feel pretty enticing (while also proving it doesn't entirely work).

Riley

Shame just makes you want to get fucked up and forget yourself. Loving yourself makes you want to change.

A B

America is all about money first, and reactionary health care there after. Shame harm reduction is even needed due to the corruption of those who wanted to make money from drug consumption.

Gavin

Nice

Hannes Gunnesson

Its pretty different to get government funding vs selling videos he already made to news companies, but yea he does make money doing what he does.

Ryan Stiltz

Except Ricci does get paid to record drug addicted people. News outlets pay him for his footage.

Zahara

I would very much enjoy full uncut interviews or some version of long form content

Eli Purl

Blue shirt does the same thing the other lady does and says basically "trust me bro." What wasnt in good faith, what I said is what she described in the video, but i guess thats your way to reduce it. Ive googled this and read about it before and most articles and data points are the downstream effects of HIV/Infection spreading and health concerns regarding those effects and not really delving into the data on the pipeline to sobriety which is what I was talking about. My bias is that Ricci is a dude that doesnt get paid to go on the streets to investigate this and come to his conclusions on how to solve this issue where blue shirt and the pink lady are getting 29 million in grants to "fix" the problem. If they have money backing them from tax payers its fair to hold them to a way higher standard.

Ryan Stiltz

Blue shirt at the harm reduction center does mention studies and research, which is equivalent to the "my mom.. my brother.. my cousin.." anecdotes, if not better. Sources would be best but difficult in-person, live like that (for both sides). The approach at harm reduction really is about humanizing everyone, no matter their circumstances, and showing them that they have the right to live. It seems reductionist the way you presented their services, and not in good faith. Those services (barber, massages, foot treatment not pedicures, etc.) are there for a community that cannot afford to access them. Here's a top article on efficacy, with some scholarly sources as well to read as you said you're interested: - https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/harm-reduction - https://scholar.google.ca/scholar?q=harm+reduction+services+efficacy&hl=en&as_sdt=0&as_vis=1&oi=scholart My 2 cents here too, if you're going to give one side the benefit of the doubt, and not the other, try to dive deep into your thoughts to understand why you may have biases towards one group and not the other.

user123456789

Zeeshan Pirzada

Is there evidence to support that people actually are going sober and that they are going sober at a faster rate then not having the center? Obviously reducing people who have STDs and infections with unclean utensils is an obvious but the other claims from the video im not seeing any data on. Im not sure thats the point of the centers but its the point Ricci is making in the video.

Ryan Stiltz

I would be interested in how many people actually go sober from the harm reductions centers pipeline. She says that giving people massages and pedicures eventually gets them to go sober but im not sure I believe just a "yea this works trust me". Atleast the Ricci guy has anecdotes from people in his life personally and knows how being forced into a "detox" situation changes you vs hoping someone comes to the light eventually which seems to be the harm reduction centers pathway.

Ryan Stiltz

Not from SF but the narcan and clean gear I got from the harm reduction ppl when I was using saved my life. "Dead people don't recover" is so true. I wouldn't have my life or my recovery if it wasn't for a harm reduction center like the one in this vid. Shoutout to the Red Project <3

Matthew D

Amazing work as usual, love the contrast of knowledge and understanding between Lydia and Ricci right after one another. Still is so impressive from an editing and directorial point of view.

David Wojcicki

Who in this video do you believe was saying that addiction is good?

Ryan Casey

Hell yeah, congrats on staying clean man

Ryan Casey

Thank you for highlighting harm reduction programs like this. There are groups doing this work to keep people alive and get them on a path to health everywhere, even in small cities and states like Maine, which has been ravaged by opioid addiction. Find your local harm reduction groups and give them a hand or at least a donation, it really keeps people alive. They can also often give you narcan to carry around in case you encounter someone ODing

Ryan Casey

Love the use of the piano in that context <3 Really interesting stuff and highlighting both sides!

Paul Ullmann

This was boring More ppl smoking China drugs off foil please

Marcos Soto

THis one was kinda boring

Jacob Hayes

It needs to be a mix of both, but those hard consequences, shouldn't be death and disease. There's no easy one sided solution as you said.

Aldeeenii

really? then why aren't you doing it?

Aldeeenii

right... I do think harm reduction (in general) is a good thing, but also found that hilarious and cringy af. She's way closer to a holistic understanding of the reality of the situation than Ricci, or most, but that was a pretty vast oversight lmfao

Aldeeenii

here you go https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/16/opinion/safe-injection-sites-crime.html

greg

Not sure if this is in the next episode, but political groups in SF talk about how London Breed gives non-profit contracts to her cronies and they just profit off of the government contracts. The non-profits seem to do very little to help solve the problems

Daniel Loney

Thank you for educating me on this. I live in SF and walk by people who are sick daily. This gives me a new perspective.

Mitch Elmore

The piano at the end makes so I can’t hear the dude. I care about the dialogue. Not the vibes.

Anthony D'Andrea

was 5:41 shot in SF?

Herzain

Heard. I can see how this treatment works at scale, makes sense as a means to prevent higher cost treatments and services. But at least in how the problem is presented, I’m curious as to what the data shows in how the “sector” of harm reduction in the city of SF is doing. Maybe they are making a massive difference, but the problem is too big for the common person to realize.

Jeremy

As the lady mentioned, there's tons of evidence that supports harm reduction services. Showing that not only do they reduce harm, but they quickly pay for themselves-- Like that device that helps prevent disease transmission. It probably costs a dollar or few. Compare that to years of hepatitis treatment, or a lifetime of HIV drugs, or a single ambulance ride/stay in the hospital. All this stuff will eventually be paid for by taxpayers anyway.

Aaron Dinga

I side with the notion that love, support and understanding is the way out of this. But with any business/organization the bottom line is always execution. Are they meeting their goals? Are they actually making a difference? Would like to see some talk on their end regarding that.

Jeremy

There must be some evidence in the literature which either supports or doesn’t these harm reduction centers. Funding like that can’t just be written off of a whim without some scientific support.

Jeremy

"Healthier and safer" woman is obese and probably has diabetes is that not another plague haunting America? And why is her face so red?

Travis Byrne

interesting to listen to both perspectives within the harm reduction topic. hard to feel bad for either sides. one hand is helping sick people be safer and try to reduce their mortality rate. while the other is the appearance and community aspect of it. homeowners and businesses owners not wanting that on the streets. very interesting topic of discussion especially with the new generation going through the xandemic. i wonder how opioid addiction within people in their 20’s will turn into.

Jayden Loper

Yeah whatever. Does not really Matter. Ass is going to fall out of the country soon enough regardless of the border. Everyone knows the United States is a ticking time bomb. Just hope I’m dead and gone before it blows up. Fuck that place.

Andrew O'Connor

28 million for harm reduction is a lot. the figure shows you that the money is going into a black hole, that the philosophy of care's underpinnings are broken. This is San Francisco's Suicidal idealism.

S E

The jazz hits hard in this one

Joe Toomey

Amazing. Thank you for your hard work 🙏

Nolan Wilder

Nit - the music / piano parts with Ricci are pretty distracting, and the scary music leading into the interview with the Harm Reduction lead are way too on the nose. Also the cuts between the two interviews are a bit clunky at times. I know you're trying to cut it as if it were a debate, but I think teeing up a question "We wanted to know x" and then having a clip of both of them replying could be useful for guiding the narrative. Also - I might appreciate a disclaimer on the pictures of medical conditions / wounds before airing them. I think it's important folks confront the reality of the situation, but just giving people a second or forewarning.

Chris

This fool Ricci W who's off on the streets harrassing people for drug use when his whole family are drug dealers. lolz, america what a place!

Josh

Ngl tho it does suck walking around needles/ worrying about my dog eating drug paraphernalia. Good shit doe

Brenden Bilbao

My takeaway was anger at China for selling the raw fent material to cartels. I know it would still be abused if restricted only to pharmacies. But this whole time I was thinking where is everyone getting this stuff.. it comes in pill form. The answer is so simple that its infuriating we haven't done any thing about it. They were really fucking waiting a long time to fire back at some imperialist for that whole opium den stunt the British pulled.

Chris Pyle

Agreed. Wishful thinking is a bias all humans suffer from. It turns truth into misinformation by believing what supports our current perspective, good or bad. The hope or desire that fuels it is part of why we're so manipulatable, and part of what makes the algorithms so effective.

Miccalo

Drugs defy logic by replacing it. Imagine your own brain arguing against itself as your cravings become only drugs. Hard to do unless you've done or seen it. To try and relate, many people are obese, food is their drug. How do they let eating/escaping their feelings become 'that bad' to the point of 350+ lbs? Parts of their body become inaccessible or die, mobility is severely limited, daily shots or pills may be required, yet they continue. The depth of human behavior is astounding, including our (dis)ability to squint and change perspective with wishful thinking.

Miccalo

Everybody is on drugs.

Miccalo

holy cow

ScientologySucks

yeah it's funny and shit but it could be a bit quieter i think

ScientologySucks

I just dont understand how people can let It can get that bad.

Efarb12 F

Why do you seem so tensed when interviewing the Harm Reduction clinic ? Holy cow the music towards the end, contemporary jazz type vibe, is so amazing. Complements the sheer absurdity of the confused and controversial opinions neck tat bro has very well. Awesome video as always Andrew. Thank you for providing an authentic look at this drug epidemic.

Simeon Valois Beaudin

Nice suit. I can tell you've had massive personal experience with addiction and poverty. Do you have an extra pair of bootstraps I can borrow? I tried pulling on mine too hard and they broke!

Alfy Penny

It went right over your head didn’t it? Lol

Mikinlee

So you’re saying we need a Drug War II? I guess we did have a Second World War. Why not a second drug war? But keep in mind, Drugs already won the first war.

Mikinlee

Lydia is good people. Harm reduction saves lives. I'm 7 years clean off junk but I still donate to harm reduction centers and you should too, it's like homie said: dead people don't recover.

Josh Greer

Haha thanks. I just like piano

Channel 5

Really? I thought it should have been louder

Alex

Safe supply does not equal enabling. It’s not that simple.

Kaylee Rose

No he does not want editing advice

Alex

Hi, I'm new here but it looks like people are giving editing advice, is that something you want? If it is my two cents is that in your interviews with Lydia Bransten it looks like you're looking next to her rather than at her.

Reuben

Great point, preventative care takes pressure off the hospital systems.

Moriah

We can point our fingers and blame cartels all you want, but capitalism is built on a single fundamental idea. Supply and DEMAND. The truth is Americans love drugs. These people you see out on the streets are actually the minority of drug users. Most drug users are functional members of our society. Sure you can go to Skid Row and see a few hundred junkies, but you can EDC, Burning Man, Coachella, etc and see hundreds of thousands of recreational drug users. As long as there is a demand, supply will find a way. I worked in counter narco for half a decade the amount of stuff we catch on average is less than 1%. At our best we stop maybe 5% and that's only the illegal stuff. Keeping things in legal transferrable precursors is becoming more prevalent. Also, it's not just the Mexican border. It's the Canadian border too and there's A LOT of that and it's much harder up there because of all the forest. Not to mention all the maritime assets... they have fucking submarines. This is what is meant by the war on drugs is lost. It's unwinnable. So, we might as well try to mitigate the negative impact as much as possible.

AxisZtv

Great video, but what's up with the piano music in the end? At least turn it down a couple dbs. This is an important documentary, so please don't feel rushed into putting it out.

ScientologySucks

Harm reduction saves lives!

ryan mchale

really solid series

Josh .

Not really, since drugs / homelessness is a problem in other cites too, not just SF. I think SF got double screwed by what happened with big tech but Texas and NY also have issues. Closing the border also helps make sure current citizens get more of the jobs when they come back. You know, the support type jobs they were talking about (janitors, groundskeepers, construction, whatever it may be).

Poindexter

…. What about the issues Andrew outlined in the previous episodes of this series. Do you think those might be more relevant for this topic than the border?

Andrew O'Connor

A well controlled Southern border with good, positive immigration flow would be incredible. I believe harm reduction service are still a necessity because you have to treat the symptoms of a disease before you can treat the cause if the symptoms are toxic enough. In this case, giving these people a safe haven to transmit less disease and have an opportunity to go into rehab, however small that chance may be, is necessary until we fix the southern border problem. We don't even have a fix for the root problem yet, but we can treat the symptoms to try and save our people.

Joseph Jaworski

The main issue I have with harm reduction, and to some extent incarceration, is that it really doesn't solve the drug / homelessness issue at a fundamental level. If you walk the cause and effect backwards there's one major place you end up: the southern US border. We already saw this in the last part. It's time for us to ignore political biases on both sides and come together to admit that drugs and cartel members are trickling into the US like water from a leaky pipe. We need an ironclad southern border. Blame whomever you want: China, Honduras, Mexico, Cartels, Coyotes, the government, I don't care. We need to get someone in office who will stop this flow of poison. Kids are dying out here man. It's not about racism for anyone in South America or Mexico, it's about doing what we need to do to protect current American citizens. The border stays open under the notion that we can't shut the poor oppressed people out of the promised land. But if we keep letting the poison flow in, eventually there won't be a promised land to flee to at all. The one caveat is that if we really secure the border, we should then take the time to focus on streamlining the immigration process. I understand that the process is long and people are in danger while waiting to get into the US, but we can't have this chaos. We need to be more selective about who we let in and it starts with controlling the land under our jurisdiction. And by "we" I mean WE THE FUCKING PEOPLE man. I'm tired of this divisive bullshit rained down on us from above.

Poindexter

Totally agree, I need more data on this to fully understand the long term effects of the harm reduction. I think it definitely gives individuals more time to potentially get sober rather than just dying the next day from some issue. However, I also think that if we soften the consequences of bad life choices, people will become less accountable and vigilant over time. I just don't know which method produces a better success ratio.

Poindexter

Bill and Lydia are so articulate and kind spirited, I work in a hospital on many people dealing with these health outcomes and it's really enriching and healing to see i'm not alone and not starting from scratch. they really should be proud, i'd totally buy that goofy hat too

Ben Masters

Both sides have points that are correct and make sense but at the same time are wrong in ways. Great video

William Marlow

Thank you for your work

Lifon Henderson

Fantastic work, Andrew.

Jack Bernard

Got a source on that absolute horseshit you're spouting?

Richard Springfield

We have this in Seattle, too. It's so, so necessary. I don't think we're nearly as well-funded and we have so much volunteer help. Even with public funding, this kind of thing saves sooooooo much public money when you consider sick people need to be treated, even when they don't have insurance.

Daniel

It genuinely isn't that simple. On the contrary, being on the street so addicted that you would literally use disgusting, used needles to inject yourself with drugs that you can only hope don't contain toxins, and waking up day after day of nothing but hopelessness sounds like it would further drive me into the hole of escapism and addiction. Health is a basic human right, and only with it can people recover. When you have a wounded, infected arm that you continue to stab for momentary escape -- when you're going through hell -- there's no discussion about an "incentive" to recover. Recovery isn't happening.

Fouad Saffar

If Ricci’s argument is that the court system does help people get clean, and the idea behind harm reduction is that reducing shame and risk will also help people get clean, then I wonder how much public money gets spent on the # of prisoners who stay clean and the # of harm reduction users who get clean, as well as how much money gets wasted on those who don’t. This assumes that the goal is to get clean, which honestly in the case of these hard drugs, I think that is the right thing. Legal or illegal, I don’t care. Don’t use drugs that send you down this negative spiral

Ethan Hamilton

Jazz

Adam Dev

I’m torn. I’d like to see stats on how many people the nonprofits get clean, and how long those people stay clean, if such things are quantifiable. I come from a family of hardcore drug addicts. The only things that make them stay clean are love, as Lydia said, AND major consequences, as the other guy says. With addicts, you can’t have just one of those things.

Jori Vajretti

Individuals vary so much, forced treatment may work for some. For others it won't. Both approaches are needed depending on the individual

Max

The only things they should be giving out are clean needles and narcan.

Matt

When can we expect the next 3 parts to drop?

Warco

Incredible stuff.

Jack Szkutnik

Bill is a real one. People are going to use regardless, might as well make it as safe as possible so when they do want to give up they can walk away without HIV or Hepatitis. Huge respect for people like this who are realists and work tirelessly to help.

Enid Strict

Wow, hard to watch but amazingly complex. Great work

Gary Eddy

Please do a doc on incel culture.

MeowMeowMFer

SF spends $57000 per homeless person per year.

MeowMeowMFer

My province refuses to fund harm reduction. Hopefully that changes someday

Logan

Enabling people to do drugs or be homeless will only promote homelessness and drug use it’s that simple. If there’s no incentive to get clean and I’m waited on hand and foot to not do anything and just do drugs and beg all day that’s what I’ll do. This shit is such a joke.

FORTYozSTEAK

The documenting, editing, and juxtaposing nature of your films us, the viewer, to be the adult and come to our own conclusions. Seriously invaluable! My 2cents is that both sides obviously don't want to be wrong and be shown that their philosophy is harming people so they will naturally have their blind sides. Seems that both aren't 100% right. But I feel the Ricci Wyyne isnt really a good dude, probably a narcissist and has a unfortunate lack of compassion and ability to humanize. We are not isolated individuals. We do heal through relearning to love/care for ourselves, and that's probably not possible for most addicts unless someone else shows them that they're worthy of love and care. Sadly its a cliché but its true asf

Ryan Ellis

Agree. But more needs to be done than what is currently being provided. The compassion approach is a good first step, but there needs to be more spaces created that are dedicated to getting these people off the street and into safe places where they can actually recover.

Austin

This is a great video to show you why harm reduction is a good thing. But it's also sad. In the US, the best resource we can have is one that encourages safety when using. What if our health care system was expansive that were able to stay off addiction longer and more often

Arham Nezami

Exposing kids to dem big ol tiddies

Moriah

After seeing him without a shirt on it looks like Ricki spent less on his titties than Ms. Jay did . . .

Richard Springfield

Addiction is an extremely complex thing. It's not going to be solved by one single approach. Every addict is an individual with individual needs. We have to err on the side of compassion and help people stay as healthy as possible. It's good for society as a whole. Until we can somehow "cure" addiction, we have to find other ways to care for our fellow human beings.

demlet

Lol, what a clown comment on every level. Congratulations on not engaging with the video in the slightest meaningful way.

demlet

At 5:28 it was kinda hilarious when she used the example of seat belts in "I think the common misconception is that harm reduction enables people to use drugs. It's like saying a seat belt enables people to drive fast." There have been a multitude of studies that have shown that seat belt laws have led to people feeling safer and therefore driving faster. It's a phenomenon called "Risk compensation". NOTE: I am not saying harm reduction is a good or bad thing it's just hilarious that her example is one of the main cornerstones of the risk compensation phenomenon

Jackson

Only pushing abstinence for sex and drugs just doesn’t work. Harm reduction services like a needle exchange are positive for everyone not just addicts, keeps literal bio hazards off the ground. Same for vaccinations like hepatitis. Worked with an addict who had hep A, health department called after he was hospitalized. Turns out SC was experiencing an outbreak.

Moriah

I hope this gets more accessible around the US so when/if more drugs become decriminalized there’s more things in place to protect people who choose to use

Mallory

The music in this one is great

Buz Lee

I love that dude's undercover get up is Leon the Professional

DW

Thank you for amplifying the voices of advocates for harm reduction, who dispel the misinformation that Ricci Wynne spreads. He spreads dangerous and stigmatizing language about addiction and harm reduction. People deserve compassion and deserve access to safe supplies.

Kaylee Rose

Nice work.

Daniel Carroll

It costs roughly 100k a year to keep someone in prison, while needles and bandages are relatively cheap. Even if you want to view drug addicts as numbers rather than humans, harm reduction is a lot cheaper.

cc

DrUgs aRe BaD - someone who clearly didn’t understand the insight from the video

Kaylee Rose

Great content, thanks for demystifying the harm reduction philosophy and operations. Seems like a very pragmatic and useful intervention in the context of thousands of people dying from ODing every year. The other guy seems to ignore the very real death toll that these drugs carry

Oliver Sangster

Wow so insightful 😂 thanks! You too! Haha

Patrick Carpenter

On the last point re taxpayer dollars, those dollars are also used to lock people up which he seems to be advocating for (jail is a massive burden on taxpayers).

Oliver Sangster

you're an idiot lol

Kaylee Rose

Great video excited for part 4! Also, there's a cut at 7:45 where the audio doesn't match the frame.

lvw138

Blonde lady is letting kids make decisions and blue hat sun glasses guy is living in reality. I love blue hat sun glasses guy. Drugs are bad.

Patrick Carpenter

True. Also, Maybe if brothels were legal and regulated, incel culture would disappear

Channel 5

We need harm reduction for sex addicts too

Rexx Bikes

First real video I've seen on this topic!

Flockavelli

cool

Owen Degen

Let's Go!!!

DW

This content is insane Andrew and the channel 5 team!! Thanx! If y’all ever need hospitality in El Paso or get a inside in border life I’d be happy to help y’all

Fire Flores

Bless this was an early present

Ashton Suire

Let’s go baby

Joshua Duarte

Andrew for prez 2024

Alex Crystallize