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# Drugs within the homeless give people on the streets a bad name
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/drugs-within-the-homeless-give-people-on-the-streets-a-bad-name/
- Published: 2003-10-06T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T03:01:57.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Santa Monica, #archive-import, Homeless

*By Charles Springer*

As I sit here and wonder what to write about, I read a lot of editorials. The recall is the topic of the day, as is the fact that the federal government has turned over one of their own CIA operatives for her husband blowing the whistle on the current regime’s lies about Iraq trying to buy uranium from an African country. And we are still throwing billions of dollars away in Iraq.

These are all topics which I can comment on and have a very adverse effect on the homeless population. But, all of this pales when you compare it to an infestation of highly addictive drugs hitting the streets. Drugs like heroin, methampheta-mine, crack and powder cocaine do more damage to the homeless community and surrounding communities than anything I have seen since I have been homeless.

When these drugs come around it usually spells trouble for those who live out here who do not use these substances. We usually wind up getting ripped off in our sleep. I have lost blankets, a Walkman, money, art supplies, a pager and two cell phones. This leads to a higher cost for the homeless agencies as they have to replace the blankets, sleeping bags and clothing that get stolen. Even though they are donated items, the time involved helping us recover these things could be better spent helping us get off the streets and into jobs and mainstream living.

It also affects the general attitude of the public concerning the homeless population because these types of addicts become overly aggressive and antagonistic towards those whom they panhandle off of when they receive nothing from them. It also leads to the crime rate going up as the addict will steal from anyone, any place, any time. Rapes and assaults occur as well, some of which do not get reported because the person is homeless and cannot avoid the repercussions of going to the police and being labeled a “snitch.”

And sometimes the worst happens and someone dies — either from an overdose, a debt owed, committing suicide or, as in the case of a 14-year-old girl a few years back, someone gets murdered. In that instance, methamphetamine was heavily involved. The ones who committed this heinous act were Satan worshipers who were using meth to entice girls to join them in their worship. When one of them tried to stop the main person from using because she felt she loved him, she was literally sacrificed. I had to meet her parents under those circumstances. I treated her like a daughter and tried to stop her from talking to this guy.

In the case of meth and crack, the person usually stays awake for days at a time “tweaking.” So, not only does the person suffer from the drug, causing major chemical imbalances in the brain, this is further aggravated by severe sleep deprivation. One guy I knew had been awake for seven days and had literally picked the tear duct from his eye. He had convinced himself that a flat worm was in there blocking his vision. When I saw this, I told him if he did not go back to the spot and go to sleep I would knock him out and carry him there. Now, this same guy is a responsible husband and dad living in the pacific northwest. He was luckier than most who I have seen on any of these drugs.

Even after these drugs are taken off the streets, there is still the after effect. The homeless community is looked at in a worse light than normal. And there is the pain of watching some people detoxing on the street. I know someone who I tried to detox off heroin a couple of years ago. She slept by me so I could make sure she did not dehydrate or go into convulsions during her detox. Sadly she is still on heroin and rumor has it she is “working” the streets on skid row. She is only 19 years old.

When these drugs increase in the homeless community, it is not a very pretty picture. And the ones who bring it out here do not care about the people involved, only in the money that they can make. I feel people who take advantage of people in this type of situation — whether it be getting someone to sell for them or getting someone addicted — they have very little self esteem and self worth. These are people who feel the only way to make money is off of the misery of others and, in the karmic cycle of this, have nothing good coming to them. (Charles Springer is a homeless resident of Santa Monica, and is a freelance writer and artist)

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on October 6, 2003.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/100603.pdf?ref=smdp.com)