Pubdate: Tue, 21 Sep 2004
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Barry Joneson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms)

LAST THING ADDICTS NEED IS AN INJECTION SITE

The Province column about the city's safe-injection site was a sad
commentary on Mayor Larry Campbell's agenda when it comes to tackling
the city's drug problems.

I have studied the concept of safe-injection sites for years, and the
more research I've done, the more asinine the concept seems to be.

One of the claims is that safe-injection-site staff provide addicts
with information about treatment. The reality is that by the time most
of the addicts living on the Downtown Eastside get to the point where
they are using the shooting galleries, most have had numerous attempts
at treatment and probably know more about treatment options than those
working at the sites.

The only thing an addict needs to get clean is desire from within, and
that is what no one person or agency can give them.

As for the safe-inhalation zone that you have heard about, when they
renovated the building for the safe-injection site, they put in a room
complete with a ventilation system for that exact purpose. It's always
been there. They always intended to open that room at some point for
crack and heroin smokers.

If drugs are the poison for addicts and we as a society use our tax
dollars to go toward providing environments to use this poison, we are
in effect enabling and helping addicts to live a life that is worse
than death itself.

I know, as I lived that life for over 20 years. I'm sure glad there
were no government shooting galleries or free heroin when I was using,
as I probably would not have hit the bottom that was necessary for me
to instil the desire to seek recovery.

Barry Joneson,

Burnaby
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MAP posted-by: Derek