
In Vancouver's troubled Downtown Eastside, the machine is just another way the bustling center, run by the nonprofit Portland Hotel Society (PHS), purports to help people struggling with addictions. Free crack pipes have been a staple at the center for years, but leaders decided to try something new when they couldn't keep up with demand for the pipe's glass stems, which can shatter from the heat of overuse, cut users' mouths, and spread disease if shared. Reported by The Verge 8 hours ago.