Ben Leo has described his experience on the front-line of America's fentanyl crisis as "tragic, humbling and sobering" after speaking to addicts on the street of a major US city.
Ben travelled to Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia and spoke to Americans plagued with addiction from all walks of life and locals who have witnessed the problem spiral in their neighbourhoods.
One woman, Jeanette, said she had been using fentanyl for three decades, and told Late Show Live host Ben she had "wasted my life on this drug".
She said: "It's very, very hard to get off. It's a feeling I cannot even describe to you. I'm pretty sad, man."
Ben Leo has described his experience on the front-line of America's fentanyl crisis as 'tragic, humbling and sobering'
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The GB News presenter met with a member of the Healing Life church, which provides support to the addicts, who told Ben that it was "humbling" to see people in such a bad way.
She said: "They take stuff with them. Clothes, food and we offer them prayer sometimes if they request it.
"So we just come out and just service them to make sure that they know that they're loved and covered.
"Today you may be safe, and then the next day you have no idea what may happen.
"You may lose your job or a health risk that will put you in this situation. So we take it personal."
Ben travelled to Kensington Avenue, Philadelphia and spoke to Americans plagued with addiction from all walks of life
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Ben spoke to another user, called Jeff, who despite having a "great childhood", ended up on the streets battling addiction.
He told the GB News presenter: "I started using drugs when I was 12. It started with the pot and then alcohol, cocaine and heroin.
"I didn't end up on the streets until a little after my father passed away."
Jeff added that he has not revealed his situation to his family members due to feeling "embarrassed".
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Ben spoke to Jeanette again, who told him: "I want to get out of here so bad. It's just horrid this sickness.
"I've been doing this for s*** for 30 years. My mom begged me to get out of here, begging me to get clean before she dies.
"I wish it was a lot easier. I wish I had. I wish I never picked up."
Reflecting on his experience in Philadelphia, Ben described that situation as "quite hopeless".
Jeanette told Ben that she wants 'to get out of here so bad'
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The GB News presenter said: "Jeff was telling me he was a millionaire. He owned 35 rental properties, and then he got into drugs and then ended up somehow overnight on the streets of Philadelphia.
"If you drive around here, it is really one of the most depressing scenes of humanity I've ever seen. Just people crouched over taking fentanyl.
"Is that something we can expect in the UK in the coming years, with the likes of drug consumption rooms? Should we be encouraging open drug use?
"Should the city and the authorities be providing open spaces for addicts to take drugs legally? Something to ponder over, at least for the future."
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