Pubdate: Mon, 15 Aug 2005 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Paul Lidgate ADDICTION PUZZLE NEEDS ACTION Jody Paterson is right: There's no single solution that can cure all of our social ills ("One small blunder can set us on the wrong course, Aug. 12). We do need a broader spectrum of services for the thousands of people in our community with drug addictions. But we can't wait for all the puzzle pieces to line up neatly. When it comes to issues that span jurisdictions, we're seldom handed a complete solution. And facing a crisis situation, we need to pursue measures that can make a difference. For those who need our help today, the wait for a full continuum of services to arrive may be too long. I give our city council and the Vancouver Island Health Authority credit for exploring the issue and identifying a range of measures that could help. Now we need to ensure they take the next step, and act. Paul Lidgate Victoria. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth