Philadelphia, America: Horror footage of a drug-ravaged city

The Kensington area, infamous for its open-air drug market, is completely filled with hunched over and passed out drug addicts in a video posted on TikTok. urbanvisuals2.0.

This heartbreaking clip comes at a time when the city is grappling with the growing use of the drug xylazine, or “tranquilizer,” a deadly sedative used to enhance the effects of heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. New York Post reported.

The drug is so potent that the White House recently declared it an “emerging threat.”

Dr. Rahul Gupta, director of the National Drug Control Policy Office, issued the warning last month.

Philadelphia health officials say the city has been hit hard by the epidemic.

“Xylazine has hit Philadelphia particularly hard, causing an increase in overdose deaths as well as severe injuries that can lead to sepsis and amputation,” the Philadelphia Department of Health and Health Board said in a joint statement last month.

“As a result, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health is working closely with partners across the city to address this new aspect of the drug overdose epidemic.”

Meanwhile, community aid workers say they’ve seen the drug’s visceral effects firsthand.

Sarah Laurel, founder of harm reduction nonprofit Savage Sisters, said xylazine use has increased over the past four years.

“And now we’re left with people with open, gaping sores, infections, some necrotic tissue, and that leads to amputations.” Laurel told NPR.

Laurel said she and her colleagues wore oxygen because of the large number of addicts she found were unresponsive.

“No one asked for this,” she added.

“When you are a person who buys drugs in the criminal drug market, you get what you get and don’t get upset. I don’t think anyone knew it would have such disastrous consequences.”

The Kensington area has also been the focus of some candidates running for the city’s next mayor, with some proposing crackdowns.

Former City Councilman Allan Domb, who is now running, called the issue a “supply and demand issue” during a public health forum held last month, media organization WHYY reported.

“We allowed Kensington to be a place of detention – sort of like you can come there, take drugs and sell drugs there. This is unacceptable,” he said.

“It’s not just about getting rid of the bad stuff. He restores neighborhoods for neighbors, making sure our parks and [recreation] centers, libraries, and public and public spaces are coming back to life,” she said, adding that she would lead “a coordinated effort to make sure we also end open-air drug markets” if she is elected.

This story originally appeared on New York Post and has been reprinted with permission.

Originally published as Horrifying footage emerges in drug-ravaged Philadelphia