MBMC im Philadelphia Inquirer

Max Marin vom Philadelphia Inquirer hat eine Reportage über den Görlitzer Park und die Drogenpolitik in Kreuzberg und Deutschland geschrieben und unter anderem mich dazu interviewt. Paywall leider… aber hier ist der Abschnitt und darunter ergänzend das Fazit:

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And despite conservative gains (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) in recent years, Germany is still relatively progressive on drug policy, from moving to legalize marijuana nationwide (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) to funding testing sites where users can test their drugs for potentially dangerous impurities.

“Unlike the U.S., it’s self-evident that we can talk about drug testing as a public service just as we can other health services,” said Philine Edbauer, cofounder of My Brain My Choice (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre), a volunteer group that advocates for progressive drug policies in Germany.

Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, residents and policymakers have battled against drug consumption sites for years, worrying it would make conditions worse in hard-hit neighborhoods like Kensington. Last week, City Council voted to prohibit supervised injection facilities in most of the city (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre).

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Some feel that gentrification-driven private development in both Kensington (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) and the Kreuzberg area (S'ouvre dans une nouvelle fenêtre) around Görli could eventually displace the drug markets, but McKinney said that isn’t an excuse to sidestep other efforts or to neglect the existing communities that would benefit from stronger public safety today.

Just as Philadelphia can’t solve federal policy issues around health care and gun control, Berlin cannot unilaterally change immigration and labor laws that some say fuel its drug markets. But McKinney is right: Both cities should nonetheless always be looking for ways to help the people affected by them — more drug treatment, housing, and alternative employment for the people involved in the drug trade — rather than simply declaring victory if and when the problem moves next door.