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Boston’s Troubled “Methadone Mile”

Boston has an opioid problem. There were 2,310 confirmed opioid-related overdose deaths throughout Massachusetts in 2022, including 247 in Boston, according to data from the state Department of Public Health. The opioid epidemic has devastated communities across the United States, and Boston has been hit especially hard. Since 2010, opioid overdose deaths in Boston have increased by over 200%. The rise of fentanyl, an extremely potent synthetic opioid, is largely responsible for the recent spike in overdoses. Many users do not realize they are ingesting fentanyl, which is often mixed with heroin or pressed into counterfeit prescription pills.

The roots of Boston’s opioid crisis stretch back decades. Aggressive marketing of prescription painkillers beginning in the 1990s contributed to over-prescription. When stricter regulations made prescription opioids harder to obtain, many turned to cheaper and more accessible alternatives like heroin. Now fentanyl has added a deadly new element, with over 85% of opioid overdose deaths in Boston involving fentanyl as of 2021.

The area of Massachusetts Avenue in Boston stretching from Mass avenue to Melnea Cass Boulevard has come to be known as “Methadone Mile.” This troubled neighborhood provides critical services for people struggling with addiction and homelessness, but also faces major public health and safety challenges.Methadone Mile centers around methadone clinics that provide opioid addiction treatment. Massachusetts Avenue hosts several large methadone clinics serving thousands of patients per day. People traveling to clinics congregate along the avenue, which is also lined with homeless shelters, liquor stores, and other social services. The concentration of vulnerable people leads to high rates of drug use and dealing in the area. Open-air heroin and fentanyl use is common, and discarded needles litter the streets. The health risks are compounded by limited access to bathrooms, medical care, and safe injection sites. Drug-related crime, violence and human trafficking is rampant. Many residents and businesses have left the area. The city has attempted to reduce the impacts through public health programs and increased police patrols. But some criticize these efforts as ineffective or counterproductive. Some outreach workers, meanwhile, also left the area because they feel unsafe. While the services provided are essential, many argue congregating so many treatment centers in one area enables drug activity. Advocates have called for decentralizing and integrating clinics, shelters, and recovery services across the city. There are also efforts to build supportive housing and provide social services directly within the Methadone Mile community. Methadone Mile highlights the complex intersections between addiction, poverty and urban decay.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][dfd_single_image image=”11462″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/2″][dfd_single_image][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The Long Island Bridge Project

The Long Island Bridge was a vital connection between Boston and Long Island until it was abruptly closed in 2014 due to safety concerns. The closure isolated hundreds of homeless people and addiction treatment programs on Long Island. After years of setbacks, construction of a new bridge is finally underway.The original Long Island Bridge opened in 1951, connecting Moon Island and Long Island. In 2014, the bridge was deemed structurally unsafe and closed with minimal notice. The abrupt shutdown was heavily criticized. Up to 700 homeless people were displaced from Long Island shelters. Recovery programs including over 200 substance abuse treatment beds were also lost.With the bridge gone, access to Long Island is now only possible by boat. The City of Boston has struggled to replace the critical services that were based on the island. Reports indicate that former Long Island residents are more likely to be hospitalized or incarcerated following the bridge closure.Planning for a replacement bridge started in 2015 but has been repeatedly delayed by permitting issues and political inertia.

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