Mike Newall is a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and has been writing about the opioid epidemic in Philadelphia and South Jersey for months. He has seen death, those affected by death and some brought back to life. People come to Kensington, Pennsylvania from all around just to get the heroin sold there, while others are stuck there, on an endless path of trying to get their next hit. He sheds light on the what happens, and more often what’s not happening, with the much-needed change in the Kensington and the surrounding areas. Newall writes matter-of-factly in many of his articles, talking about the opioid crisis by using real people affected and their stories and what he sees when he is there. Many times these two intertwine, making an interesting read and a sad outcome. He describes how all of the people in Kensington are affected by the crisis. Whether they are addicted, know someone who is, or have to save the addicted people who overdose, Newall encompasses them in his columns. He has many pieces talking about the people who are saved from overdosing and the ones who do the saving using narcan, a nasal spray that works as an opiate antidote. He has narcan with him most of the time as well, following suit of the librarians who got them a …show more content…
His writing calls out politicians who aren’t doing enough to fix the situation. At one point, he talks to a councilwoman who is in charge of some parts of Kensington who wants to round up addicts using police force to take them to a 24-hour staging center to get help. Newall argues that this could just as easily be done by creating a safe injection site, which she was completely against. She accuses him of being biased because his brother overdosed on heroin and died a few years ago. He admits in his column that he is, but says that it should personal for everyone in Kensington by