Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass suggested that homeless meth addicts should be provided with free dental care because their drug use has caused them to have rotten teeth.

During an event highlighted this week, Bass pointed to drug addiction as a major factor in the homeless population, or as she calls them “unhoused,” arguing that individuals who have rotten teeth from excessive meth use cannot “succeed” unless they are provided with new teeth from the state government.

“How many people who are unhoused that you meet have no teeth at all? They don’t have teeth. Why? Because meth rots your teeth. You can’t succeed without teeth. So there needs to be comprehensive health care provided to people,” she said.

Bass’ comments quickly drew backlash from critics who noted that her approach to homelessness is too lenient and contributes to the ongoing crisis in Los Angeles. The remarks come as Bass continues to face attacks from mayoral challenger Spencer Pratt, who has increasingly made homelessness and public drug use central issues in his campaign. He also blames Bass for letting the Palisades Fire burn out of control.

Pratt’s home, as well as that of his parents, neighbors, friends, were all burned down during that blaze that wiped out entire neighborhood, scattering residents into hotels and out of the area altogether. Pratt ran a series of AI-generated campaign ads criticizing Bass over homelessness, crime, and city conditions. In response, the mayor has accused the campaign messaging of “taking a violent turn.”

“When your messages are so hateful, or when you demonize people, then you do provoke people who are unstable, and you can jeopardize people’s safety,” Bass told CNN. Bass was not even in the country at the time the Palisades fires, now known to have been set by a leftist malcontent, instead she was in Africa celebrating the inauguration of a newly elected leader.

Pratt has continued to sharpen his criticism of Bass’s leadership, arguing that current homelessness policies have failed to improve conditions in Los Angeles.

“Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. AKA: voting for failure Karen Bass is literally insane,” he posted on X. “Change the channel. Vote Pratt. I will clean the streets and end this waste of our tax dollars.”