ATX NEEDLE EXCHANGE- I confronted the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance, that’s been handing out NEEDLES and GLASS PIPES to drug users in Austin.
Turns out they’ve been receiving $5.8 MILLION in city funding, with their executive director acting completely shocked when I mentioned it.
I then pulled up the receipts, forcing them to admit they have indeed been receiving millions since 2021.
THRA is a “harm reduction” center (similar to the programs in San Francisco and Portland that have led to needles and glass pipes littering the street) they state they don’t use city funding to buy said supplies, however, the city is funding their entire organization and multiple surrounding businesses have complained of the drug users that THRA has attracted to the area.
THRA also states that over the last year alone they’ve “safely disposed” of 36,000+ dirty needles, but refused to respond to my question of where all of these needles came from and how many they distributed vs. cleaned up.
Their “community engagement coordinator”who deemed me a “fascist” then decided to try and follow me to my car after I tried to leave.
Distributing drug paraphernalia to active drug users is illegal per Texas law btw, however, this org has been distributing since 2019.