New initiative aims to combat NYC's ‘hub of heroin'
THE BRONX, N.Y. (PIX11) — It is a daily occurrence in a neighborhood with the dubious distinction of being New York City's 'hub of heroin.'
It's a bustling, sometimes dangerous, often downtrodden section of the South Bronx, where the ravages of addiction are on display on a daily basis.
More Local News
Marty Rogers, a longtime South Bronx resident and community advocate, routinely spends his days filling up his trusty blue bucket with used drug needles.
Dirty needles, plastic forks, and pencils are all littered into the same piles along the sidewalk. Each has its own purpose, but all of them drive home the same sobering point that something desperately needs to be done about the crisis.
Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, community leaders, and members of the addiction treatment community gathered Thursday to announce a new multi-organizational initiative that includes $600,000 in state funds to begin Narcan training sessions across the borough available to the public to combat opioid overdoses.
More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State
'This initiative is about informing, investing and intervening. It's about making sure that we have the resources, the programs, the wraparound services, and also talk about policies that are in place to support our residents,' said Gibson.
Steven Hernandez of St. Ann's Corner of Harm Reduction, added, 'Low-threshold medical services, mental health care, case management, holistic care, are just some of the few services that when scaled up in the hub could make a huge difference, and at the end of the day, save lives.'
Heroin addiction in the hub in the South Bronx certainly isn't a new problem. PIX11 News has been talking about addiction issues in the neighborhood for years, and it's unclear if throwing more money at it is going to solve it.
'They put you in the street — back to the street, to get you again. You know, like business. They see you like business,' said Joelle.
Joelle said he is addicted to both heroin and fentanyl and questions whether the existing outpatient treatment model is working.
'I need residential. Residential. I need to stay. Forget this place,' said Joelle.
That's easier said than done. Because with temptation lurking at every turn, forgetting 'The Hub' for so many addicts is not a realistic option, especially when all you can think about is chasing the next high.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Colorado attorney general offering $3M grant to provide naloxone to nonprofits
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is awarding $3 million in grant funding to provide free naloxone to nonprofits across the state, in an effort to prevent deadly opioid overdoses. Naloxone, often referred to by its brand name, "Narcan," is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. One woman who credits the drug with saving her life said the funding could help others in similar situations. "The first two times were from a complete stranger who felt like I was worth saving," said Rica Rodriguez, who now works with Promotores de Esperanza, one of the nonprofits receiving the grant. "And then the third time was a cousin, who eventually ended up passing of an overdose himself." Rica Rodriguez, of Promotores de Esperanza, a nonprofit receiving grant money for naloxone, describes her experience being rescued by the medicine on several occasions. CBS The money comes from settlements with drug manufacturers held responsible for contributing to the opioid epidemic. Weiser, who's running for governor in 2026, says he's helped secure $132.6 million as part of these legal settlements and says he's using these funds to support prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction strategies in Colorado.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
Newton County launches state's first free naloxone vending machine to combat opioid overdoses
The Brief Newton County has introduced the state's first vending machine dispensing free naloxone (Narcan) to combat opioid overdoses, accessible 24/7 at the detention center. The initiative is funded by a GNR Health grant, ensuring the availability of Narcan for at least two years, with plans to expand to other counties. Community leaders emphasize the importance of widespread access to Narcan, highlighting its role in saving lives and addressing the broader impact of opioid addiction. NEWTON COUNTY, Ga. - A new vending machine in Newton County is the first of its kind in the state. It is providing the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, also known as Narcan, to anyone in the community who needs it, free of charge. "Even if we just save one life, it would be more than enough," said Caitlin Jett of the Newton County Sheriff's Office. What we know The machine dispenses free naloxone using tokens provided by the Newton County Detention Center staff. The detention center is open 24/7, and anyone is allowed access to the machine. Through a GNR Health grant, this resource inside the detention center will supply overdose reversing Narcan for the next two years, at least. On the side of the machine is a QR code that can be scanned for instructions on how to use the Naloxone. "Pharmacies are selling it, but we understand that in today's time things are not cheap," said Jett. "People are struggling. So, to be able to provide this free to our community is a great blessing for us." Melissa Laney visited the detention center and was surprised to find out the vending machine provided Narcan for free. She said this should be in every community. "I would give a box of these to everybody I know because the sad truth is, this kind of lifestyle, this kind of addiction, nobody's immune to it," said Laney. By the numbers In the last year and a half, there were over 15,457 opioid overdose incidents in Georgia. One percent of those were in Newton County. Narcan was administered in 65% of the overdose cases in Newton County, making this vending machine extremely important, Jett said. "We really are encouraging loved ones, if they know someone who is struggling with addiction, to come get this," said Jett. "You need to have this on hand before an emergency happens." What they're saying Colleen Freeman runs a nearby recovery group at Eastridge Church and encourages everyone to carry Narcan. She said she knows firsthand: overdoses harm more than just an addict. "It is a big problem. It's a big problem for the entire family," said Freeman. She said she is hopeful this problem for the entire community can be helped, especially with more resources at the ready. "We are so happy about that vending machine because what it does is it gives everybody a tool right in their pocket to help save a life," said Freeman. GNR Public Health applied for more grant funding to add vending machines into Rockdale and Gwinnett counties. "We hope that this is not the only one that will be in a law enforcement facility. We would love to see this machine in every detention center across Georgia," said Jett. "I just think that we need to keep it going. We can't stall. It's always going to be a problem, and as addiction is, it progresses, so we need to always be on our best fight for it (9:49) and get rid of the opiate addiction altogether," said Freeman. The Source FOX 5's Alexa Liacko spoke with Caitlin Jett of the Newton County Sheriff's Office, and Colleen Freeman, who runs a nearby recovery group at Eastridge Church.
Yahoo
14-06-2025
- Yahoo
US overdose capital Baltimore on long road to recovery
Carrying a bag filled with the overdose-reversing drug naloxone, Adam Trionfo roams the brick-lined streets of one of America's oldest port cities, Baltimore. The 40-year-old and his small team visit neighborhoods considered "hot spots" for drug trafficking to hand out the precious antidote, sold under the brand name Narcan. The easy-to-use nasal spray has become a key tool in the fight against the deadly US opioid crisis, claiming 750,000 lives between the late 1990s and 2022. "Just over the past week, we distributed 200 Narcan kits," Trionfo, who oversees an addiction assistance program with the local branch of Catholic Charities, told AFP. On their route, the team spots a man sprawled out amid a pile of rubbish in the corner of a stairwell. They hand him a box of Narcan and a brochure about their organization. The man takes it with one hand, as he awkwardly hides a syringe behind his back. Their last Narcan kit goes to another man, legs covered in brown scars, who is waiting near a dilapidated building. These scenes are not uncommon in this East Coast city, which is located about 50 kilometers (31 miles) from Washington and is renowned for endemic crime. Baltimore was the setting of the hit television series "The Wire" in the early 2000s, depicting its burgeoning drug scene from a variety of angles. And last year, the New York Times dubbed the city the "American overdose capital." Between 2018 and 2022, the drug-related mortality rate was nearly twice as high as in any other major American city. The leading killer: fentanyl. - 'Tremendous efforts' - Since the height of the opioid crisis in 2021, the outlook has improved in much of the country, including in Baltimore. The number of fatal overdoses in the city plummeted by 35 percent last year, to 680 down from 1,043 in 2023. The city's proactive policies, coupled with preventative work done by Catholic charities in Baltimore's communities have helped make a dent in the problem. "We've had tremendous efforts throughout the city to get people into treatment, and then we've also had tremendous efforts in getting Naloxone out there," said Michael Fingerhood, head of addiction medicine at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center. Distributed broadly for about a decade, Narcan has worked like a "fire extinguisher," Fingerhood said. In Baltimore, Narcan is now available everywhere: pharmacies, vending machines throughout the city, even in libraries. - Funded by restitution - The drop in mortality in Baltimore is also linked to the composition of the fentanyl being sold there, Fingerhood said. "The drug supply has less potent fentanyl and has additives that are less likely to cause overdose." Awareness of the risks associated with the powerful synthetic opioid has also grown among users, pushing them to be more "cautious," said Bakari Atiba, community engagement director at Charm City Care Connection. The nonprofit assists addicts in Baltimore -- known as Charm City -- and recently received funding from a restitution program fueled by lawsuits against opioid manufacturers and distributors. "I'm not saying people are going to stop using," Atiba said. "That's not even our goal." "It's about meeting people where they are, making sure they're safe, making sure they're supported, and making sure they have pathways to recovery if they want it." ph/bpe/des/sla/nl
