Crack use is rampant in Montreal…and we're going to see more of it in public

In Montreal, journalist Louis-Philippe Messier often travels on foot, with his desk in a backpack, in search of interesting subjects and people. He talks to everyone in this urban chronicle and shows interest in all walks of life.

Montrealers are seeing more and more people smoking crack or fentanyl in parks, downtown or on subway corners…and that's not changing anytime soon.

• Also read: Drug hell is breaking loose on the street corner

If you've been driving in or around Berry-UQAM station and you've had the impression that you've seen smokers popping or smoking small pipes, you're not dreaming. crystalline meth in pyrex blisters.

Some buildings look like smokestacks. I'm thinking of the Berry Street exit.

Unlike cigarettes or joints, which burn for a long time, crack rocks burn quickly.

Smoking can be done in 15 seconds.

This is a more complicated operation than injection with a syringe.

This relative convenience probably explains the popularity of the drug.

“Crack use is booming in Montreal right now,” confirms Alex Berthelot, director of community services for Cactus, a harm reduction organization that runs a supervised injection site.

As rising rents continue to drive a new population into homelessness, drug use in public spaces is on the rise.

Sad to say, but from 1^e New employees may appear on the street next July …

“We are surprised that there are more people consuming outside, but no crime, no shelter!” says Martin Page, director of Dopamine, an organization that works with drug users in Hochelaga.

“We have a superposition of crises: there is a housing crisis, there is inflation and, finally, contaminated drugs,” he analyzes.

“The social problems that exist inside are often found on the street,” says Mr. Berthelot.

Immunity to inflation

As it becomes more and more expensive to cover your roof or stock your warehouse, a drug like crack seems to be “immune” to inflation.

“Crack rock is worth $20 for 30 years,” Mr. Berthelot explains.

There are changes in consumption habits.

The heroin that once existed is almost gone…and crack is on the rise!

In 2021-2022, customers requested 36,500 tubes (which we use for crack) from Cactus.

By 2022-2023, demand has grown to 60,600 tubes…almost double.

In 2023-2024, the organization plans to distribute 85,000.

And the glass “bubbles” smoked crystalline meth or fentanyl, Cactus plans to distribute 16,300 in 2021-2022, 24,500 in 2022-2023 and 38,000 in 2023-2024.

“Smoking fentanyl has been going on in the West for years, and it's happening here more often,” laments Mr. Page.

A few weeks ago, I told you about Berger Street in the city center, which unfortunately has the nickname “light alley”, but the use of hard drugs in the open is not limited here.

If the city center hires an army of security guards to suppress consumption, it will move … and the problem will not be solved.

Designated injection sites are considering adding “supervised inhalation rooms” that require ventilation and air purification systems…which could reduce the “visibility” of consumption.

But this will require subsidies…