Pubdate: Sun, 05 Aug 2001 Source: Abbotsford News (CN BC) Copyright: 2001 Hacker Press Ltd. Contact: http://www.abbynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1155 Author: Mark B. Toth 'CULTURE OF DEATH' SUPPORTS ADDICTS INSTEAD OF HELPING Editor, The News; What an altogether curious report in your July 17 issue ('Addicts need a 'safe place' to shoot up,' A3). Surely what addicts needs is a safe place to kick their deadly habit, that is, without using dangerous, illegal opiates, so that they might return to a healthy and happy lifestyle. If ever there was an example of a culture of death, it's the notion that citizens should provide funds so that those suffering from drug addiction can continue their deadly habit. The adage "I must be cruel to be kind," seems most germane in the case of such addiction. Also, the opinion that a health board, supported by the provincial government, could sue a community that refuses to provide a safe injection site for addicts strikes me as absurd, because providing such sites is obviously facilitating the use and even indirectly contributing to the sale of illegal substances. The views expressed were those of only four of the Fraser Valley Health Board members. I wonder what the other 12 members had to say. Mark B. Toth Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens