The neighborhood’s afflictions date to the early 1970s, when industry left and the drug trade took hold. With each new wave of drugs, the situation grows grimmer. Now, with the arrival of xylazine, a veterinary tranquilizer, new complications are burdening an already overtaxed system.
In their provocative recent report, researchers observe that “a significant amount of binge drinking among adults escapes public health scrutiny” because it occurs among people who drink at a moderate average level.
