Addict havoc rampant in East Harlem, shocking scenes on major roads

An East Harlem block has fallen victim to a rampant horde of drug users, openly shooting up and instilling fear in local businesses.

Astonishingly, this activity occurs just a stone’s throw away from the office of Councilwoman Diana Ayala (D-Manhattan/Bronx), who has been a vocal proponent of progressive harm reduction policies.

Observations made by The Post this week revealed the distressing sight of multiple drug-addled individuals injecting narcotics within a mere 250 feet of Councilwoman Ayala’s East 116th Street office.

One woman was even seen injecting a needle into her neck, while a young mother hurriedly escorted her two small children past the scene.

Residents of East Harlem have expressed growing concerns about the neighborhood’s deteriorating condition, largely attributing it to the presence of the nearby OnPoint NYC overdose prevention center. Under the guise of harm reduction, OnPoint provides addicts with clean syringes and paraphernalia, enabling them to inject drugs either on-site under medical supervision or in public spaces.

Critics argue that this approach only perpetuates addiction rather than addressing its root causes. Despite these concerns, Councilwoman Ayala swiftly endorsed the city’s plan to establish the nation’s first safe injection site just outside her district in 2021. Former Mayor Bill de Blasio and other progressive politicians championed this initiative as a means of combating the escalating opioid epidemic.

OnPoint has received $1.38 million in taxpayer funding earmarked for opioid abuse prevention and treatment programs, although it relies primarily on private funding due to legal restrictions on using public funds to operate an overdose prevention center.

Despite the undeniable scenes of distress and human suffering, Councilwoman Ayala adamantly defended OnPoint in her recent interview with The Post. She claimed that the center had indeed made a positive impact on the neighborhood by reducing open-air drug use. Instead, Ayala attributed the presence of the drug-addicted horde on her block to the prevalence of drug dealers.

The ongoing clash between East Harlem’s daily horror show and the controversial harm reduction policies embraced by Councilwoman Ayala highlights the challenges faced by the community. As the neighborhood struggles to find a balance between addressing addiction and maintaining public safety, the debate surrounding harm reduction and its effectiveness continues to unfold.