Eric Johnson released a documentary in 2019 entitled "Seattle is Dying." This incredible piece of photojournalism casts light on one of the problems being faced by Washington's largest city: the high volume of homeless individuals with substance abuse problems (often opioid addiction).

Not every displaced person uses drugs, and obviously this is not to suggest anything to the contrary. Homelessness and addiction can occur separately from one another. But the sad fact is, people suffering from one of these problems are at an increased risk of developing the other. People who are homeless may turn to drugs in an attempt to deal with the harsh realities of their lives; and substance abuse can cause people to lose their jobs and end up on the streets.

Drug dealers can see an infinite amount of potential in the growing homeless population, because many of these people are in the vulnerable situation of being desperate for money and hesitant or unable to contact police. The Seattle Police Department uncovered a massive drug operation in 2019 and arrested several people for "predatory drug dealing and behavior at [homeless] encampments located in Seattle’s Pioneer Square and Chinatown/International District neighborhoods."

It is essential to realize that drug addiction is a serious health issue and not a question of willpower. It is perfectly easy to judge someone based on their addiction to various (legal or illegal) substances, but the journey towards recovery is a very complex and involved process for anyone, and it is even harder for people who do not have a place to call home. They don't need a lecture, they need medical treatment and judgement-free help to set their lives back on the right path. 

Helping people get clean is one thing, but helping them stay clean is another task altogether. If people who are suffering from drug abuse are treated and then released back into the same toxic environment they were in before, it makes relapse a near certainty. So this means they will need stable housing. But if we just provide housing and ignore the problem of addiction, this is just setting people up for failure as well. 

Both issues need to be addressed at the same time, that is the only way we will be able to make any headway in the fight against homelessness and substance abuse. We need to make a concerted effort to tackle the two problems together because they are related to each other quite closely. These people need our help, sooner rather than later.