``Tranq Tourism'' makes money by exposing drug addicts in poor areas on TikTok and YouTube
Since 2021, it has become a problem that Kensington, located in north Philadelphia, is overflowing with drug addicts. The Guardian has raised the issue, saying that while some organizations support these people, there are also unethical people who make money by making videos.
'Tranq tourism': alarm in Philadelphia as TikTokers travel to film drug users | Drugs | The Guardian
Kensington is home to many low-income residents, and a new sedative called ``tranq'' has become popular, making the area extremely unsafe.
Tranq, also known as xylazine, is a drug that can cause difficulty standing upright as a side effect. As a result, users walk around unsteadily like zombies. Xylazine is only approved for use in animals, and there are no drugs to suppress its effects, so many deaths have been reported.
People who make videos on YouTube and TikTok go out of their way to Kensington to film people taking Xylazine, showing people lying on the floor or zooming in on people who have taken the drug, calling them 'zombies' and 'junkies.' It is said that the video is released with a label such as ``. In these types of videos, the faces of individuals are almost never blurred, and the related videos have been viewed millions of times in total.
In contrast to the trend of 'Tranq tourism,' where vulnerable people are photographed for video footage, Sarah Laurel founded the nonprofit Savage Sisters to help people who have taken drugs. . Savage Sisters treats users, provides resources such as showers and daily necessities, and also provides psychological care such as encouraging them to consider treatment.
Regarding the creators who visit Kensington as if to neglect such activities, Mr. Laurel pointed out, ``It is never acceptable to photograph or ask questions that will be traumatic when you look back on it.'' .
Some creators seem to think that taking pictures of people taking the drug and drawing people's attention to it will help. However, these people never actually help themselves.
Geri-Lynn Utter, a clinical psychologist who works with people like Laurel, said: ``People come from all over Europe and the United States and point their phones and cameras in people's faces. It will only make you lose your humanity.” Mr. Laurel similarly denies filming, asking for people to bring resources and help, rather than just showing up and recording.'
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