Cologne on the drug alert: Ex-addict calls for more help for crack users!

Cologne on the drug alert: Ex-addict calls for more help for crack users!

The drug problem is becoming increasingly urgent in Cologne's city center. Markus, a 40-year-old former homeless man, is alarmed by the growing number of crack users. He came to Cologne himself ten years ago when he was struggling with drug addiction and homelessness. Today, after several years of offering alternative city tours for the Oase association from the perspective of an alumni, he would like to draw attention to the challenges that affect many people in the city.

Markus recently launched a project with the Instagram channel “koeln.trash”, which documents the neglect in Cologne and has over 13,000 followers. Together they want to address the unfortunate conditions in the city center. “People use drugs openly in the city, and that leaves dark traces,” he describes vividly. He calls on the city administration to create more alternative options for consumers and suggests the development of a larger consumption space concept.

Cologne compared to other cities

The way drugs are dealt with in Cologne seems to be in great need of improvement compared to other cities. Despite its 25.6 full-time equivalent positions, the drug consumption room on Neumarkt currently has 4.1 vacancies. If you compare this with the offers in other cities, Cologne does poorly: While Düsseldorf has 90 places, Dortmund only has 20 places available and Essen only has 15. According to Markus and other people affected, this could be because Cologne decided to set up additional consumption rooms in Kalk and Mülheim in 2017, but not all of them have been implemented yet.

The Cologne Greens have now spoken out in favor of a new institution to support crack users. Ralf Unna, the chairman of the health committee, supports the Zurich model, which also includes tolerating retail drug trafficking in consumption rooms. “An additional offer for crack users that is open late into the evening and includes social work offers could help,” says Unna. This initiative requires funding of more than one million euros per year, of which a six-figure sum is already earmarked in the Cologne budget.

A new approach from Zurich

The Zurich model is considered a role model in dealing with drugs. Florian Meyer, head of the “Harm Reduction for Illegal Substances” department in Zurich, describes how the establishment of consumption rooms and the tolerance of petty trafficking between users shifted the drug scene from public places to controlled areas. This could also represent a solution for Cologne, where the visibility of drug use is increasing sharply due to the inadequate offerings.

The Cologne Greens' proposal is not undisputed. Bernd Petelkau from the Cologne CDU supports the model, but calls for a strict zero-tolerance strategy against drug trafficking in public spaces. Different views collide here, which could be important for future drug policy in Cologne.

Markus, who still lives in the city, hopes that his tours and the planned initiatives can improve the cityscape. “I want fewer people to become dependent and for us as a city to deal with this issue much better,” he summarizes, speaking from the hearts of many who are dealing with the issue.

In summary, it remains to be said that drug use in Cologne is not just an individual problem, but a social problem that urgently needs a strategy that both offers help and relieves the burden on the public. This is the only way Cologne can meet the challenges of the drug problem.