An addiction treatment facility relocated from Praga-Północ to Mokotów, sparking new neighborhood concerns about safety and drug-related issues.
Facility Relocation
The addiction therapy center, previously operating at Kijowska 7/3 in Praga-Północ, has moved to Czerska Street in Mokotów. This relocation concludes years of conflict in the Praga-Północ area and has now triggered protests in the new location.
The center provides addiction treatment, including methadone substitution therapy for opioid-dependent individuals. This is an ambulatory form of treatment where medications like methadone are used.
Community Concerns
Residents in both locations have expressed concerns about the facility’s operation. In Praga-Północ, residents reported issues such as people gathering in the area, decreased feelings of safety, incidents related to illegal methadone trade, and alleged thefts from patients.
Praga-Północ, being a small district, was particularly burdened with such services, according to public debate. Local officials noted that patients came not only from Warsaw but from across Poland.
Police Response
The Warsaw II District Police Command has announced increased preventive supervision in the Czerska Street area. These measures were implemented before the center began operations in the new location on February 23 and are intended to be long-term.
Both uniformed and plainclothes patrols are serving in the Czerska Street area and adjacent streets, particularly during the center’s operating hours. Police have promised zero tolerance for drug dealing and actions that exploit others’ addiction.
Future Considerations
Key issues in the discussion include organizing patient admissions to avoid queues outside the facility, maintaining order in the surrounding area, implementing surveillance, and collaborating with the city and authorities in case of reports.
Substitution treatment is part of the healthcare system, but methadone, as a strong opioid, can attract interest from the illegal market. The Warsaw debate has reignited the topic of dispersing services to reduce patient concentration and social tensions in the surrounding area.