**New York City introduces taxpayer-funded vending machines for drug paraphernalia, including pipes for crack, test strips for fentanyl, and soon possibly even syringes. The goal is to make drug use “safer” while ignoring the root cause of the addiction crisis in an already struggling city.**
New Yorkers now have access to free drug paraphernalia, courtesy of their hard-earned tax dollars. The first “public health vending machine” was recently installed in Brooklyn, offering items like crack pipes, fentanyl test strips, and even lip balm. With each machine costing $11,000, city officials justify this expense by claiming it’s meant to make drug consumption “safer” for addicts.
Located in some of the city’s most drug-infested neighborhoods, these vending machines make substance abuse all too convenient. As of now, the only items not offered are syringes, although they may be included in future machines. In addition to so-called “Safer Sniffing” kits, the machines also provide items like naloxone, a drug overdose treatment, feminine hygiene products, and first aid kits – all of which require only the user’s zip code to access.
Dr. Ashwin Vasan, the City Health Commissioner, fully supports these vending machines, citing the opioid crisis as justification for their presence. Claiming it’s an “innovative” measure against the ever-growing drug problem, he expressed hope in raising funds to place even more machines throughout the city.
**Instead of addressing the root cause of drug abuse, New York City officials are
