Cologne's dirty secret: Mister Trash uncovers drug problems!

Cologne's dirty secret: Mister Trash uncovers drug problems!

In Cologne, an anonymous activist known as Mister Trash is causing a stir. His goal? To bring the city's increasing pollution to the public. On his Instagram channel cologne.trash He impressively documents how drug paraphernalia, urine and bulky waste cloud the cityscape. The disorder spreading in the city center not only represents an aesthetic loss, but also has an economic impact. Business owners complain about losses due to the neglect of their surroundings.

In a few days, on Sunday, local elections are taking place in North Rhine-Westphalia. A new mayor is also being elected in Cologne after the non-party incumbent Henriette Reker no longer wants to run due to the poor rating of her performance in office. 69% of respondents are critical of their politics. During this election campaign, Mister Trash conducted interviews with the candidates to shed light on their perspectives on the city's pressing problems.

Drug policy under pressure

But the challenges don’t stop there. Cologne is struggling with its drug problems, which are getting worse according to a recent meeting of the health committee in the town hall. The number of drug-related deaths has risen enormously and now stands at 83 per year - an alarming rise of two-thirds in the last five years. Dealing with drug addicts seems naive and negligent, as a city administration employee notes. While mobile consultation units for consumers under medical supervision have already been scaled back in the city, an innovation is urgently needed.

A mobile drug counseling van that was launched didn't make ends meet for long: one bus burned down in 2021 and the other, which is now struggling with mold and water damage, has repair costs of around 80,000 euros. The installation of another bus in Mülheim failed due to location problems and high costs. Regardless of these circumstances, the pressure on the city administration to find solutions is enormous.

Frightening developments

Another critical point is the increase in crack use. Processed cocaine has become the most common drug on the streets. Addiction researchers report that many consumers are becoming dramatically impoverished. Police Chief Johannes Hermanns is calling for immediate action: He is in favor of consumption rooms that could help get people off the streets. The head of the health department, Harald Rau, on the other hand, emphasizes the financial bottleneck, which limits the creation of new offers to support addicts.

But it's not just drug addicts who suffer from the situation. Residents also complain about increasing aggressiveness in their area. The city is not only battling drug problems, but also traffic congestion, dilapidated bridges and high rents. This chain of grievances could prove crucial to voter outcomes in the coming elections.

Initiatives and solutions

Mister Trash is now planning innovative events such as “Trash Rave” and “Trash Run”, which not only promise fun, but are also intended to help clean up rubbish in Cologne. His initiatives show that citizen engagement is an important part of the fight against the city's neglect.

In conclusion, it can be said that Cologne is at a turning point. The upcoming elections set the course for future drug and urban policy. It remains to be hoped that the new people in charge will step up and tackle the pressing problems seriously.