Pubdate: Mon, 10 Feb 2003
Source: Surrey Now (CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc., A Canwest Company
Contact:  http://www.thenownewspaper.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1462
Author: John Oman

ALCOHOL IS THE WORST DRUG ON THE STREET

The Editor,

Alcohol and cigarettes are a far more costly problem for taxpayers than 
heroin will ever be. But that seems to be acceptable because the government 
is making a lot of money off the backs of these sick people. Gordon 
Campbell is a prime example and but for the grace of God no one was killed 
or maimed by him the night he was out drinking and endangering the lives of 
himself and others! He should be ashamed of himself and step down, receive 
a fine, have his licence suspended, have a criminal record and do community 
hours like the rest of us who commit a criminal offence.

The syringe exchange in Whalley works hand in hand with the medical clinic, 
HIV/AIDS program and the Front Room of South Fraser Community Services 
Society to help people because they are ill with a disease that they cannot 
fix by themselves. They also make referrals to many other drug and alcohol 
programs. Please don't re-locate it as it is needed exactly where it is now.

The Flamingo and Dell hotels as well as beer stores and liquor stores in 
Surrey are within a block of the exchange. Alcohol is also a drug and 
certainly causes more grief and makes more mess than any other drug out 
there. More crime is committed, more people are maimed and killed and more 
families are ruined because of alcohol than any other drug.

I think a supervised cleanup crew should be dispatched in the Whalley area 
every day to pick up the litter, liquor bottles and food wrappers, as well 
as the odd syringe, perhaps using a labour force consisting of convicted 
impaired drivers, drug dealers, etc., as a mandatory part of their 
sentencing. It would be a lot cheaper and would serve the area a lot better 
than what Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum proposes. Has he no imagination?

Using all the money saved by stopping all McCallum's other useless projects 
and free labour for neighbourhood clean-up, McCallum could put all his 
effort into opening up a much needed detox, rehabilitation facility, and 
more drug and alcohol programs so people don't have to go on a long waiting 
list in Surrey. This would generate good press and would actually help the 
problem that was in Whalley long before the syringe exchange opened. 
Hopefully McCallum would include his councillors in his plans so they could 
help to guide him and keep him from going off half-cocked again.

I also think McCallum should take a drug and alcohol course to help educate 
him as to the plight of the sometimes "homeless, addicted and mentally 
challenged" people on the streets who he has referred to as "undesirable" 
so he could learn to be more compassionate toward others and be less 
judgmental to those less fortunate than himself.

I write this letter based on my own experiences with all of the 
above-mentioned addictions. I am clean and sober today because of all the 
help that places like South Fraser Community Services Society so freely 
gives to those in need. I applaud the staff of all shelters, drop-in 
centers, street health outreach programs, needle exchange programs, 
detoxes, rehab centers, counsellors and doctors who help us overcome or 
manage our disease of addiction without judgment. C'mon Surrey ... Get with 
the program!

John Oman

Delta
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens