The city of Seattle is facing a full-blown mental health and addiction crisis—one that is no longer hidden. It plays out daily, often directly in front of small businesses in what was once a vibrant city. Seattle wasn’t where I first witnessed widespread fentanyl use; that began in 2020. Today, however, fentanyl dominates the streets here, alongside drugs like flaca—also known as bath salts—which are increasingly common. Flaca is notorious for causing extreme psychosis, paranoia, and hallucinati