Pubdate: Tue, 19 Sep 2006
Source: Vancouver Sun (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Vancouver Sun
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouver/vancouversun/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/477
Author: James Hopkins
Related: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1189/a02.html

OPENING SUPERVISED INJECTION SITE LAUDED AS 'A GREAT CHOICE'

There has been plenty of controversy recently about the supervised
injection site in Vancouver. I think opening Insite was a great choice.

A drug addict is a drug addict, and it doesn't matter how much you reason,
plead or beg with them; that's their decision.

So what does a starving, half-clothed junkie do to get the fix he or she
needs? The bottom line: Just about anything. Whether it's snatching a
woman's purse or robbing a corner store, addicts will always find a way to
get their drug of choice into their system.

It's clear that their minds have been made about engaging in these
activities. Now it's up to the rest of us to find the easiest, cleanest
and, most importantly, safest way of going about sharing our streets with
such people.

Would you rather have addicts sitting on the corner, leaving their needles
on the same streets we walk on? Or would you rather have them in a
designated spot with proper methods of disposing of the needles?

There will always be drug addicts. The best we can try to do is work with
them to keep ourselves and our streets as safe as possible.

James Hopkins

North Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D