Pubdate: Mon, 22 Oct 2007 Source: Republican & Herald (PA) Copyright: 2007 Pottsville Republican, Inc Contact: http://republicanherald.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1047 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion) DRUG PROPOSAL SENDS WRONG MESSAGE San Francisco is considering opening a room where drug addicts can inject themselves with heroin, cocaine and other drugs under the supervision of nurses. Few ideas can be considered more foolish than this one. Drug use is illegal. Governments should do nothing to encourage or even tolerate it. Yet this is the ultimate example of a mixed message, where drug use is condemned at the same time it is tolerated. It is, in effect, giving up the effort to fight the insidious and awful damage drugs do to people by giving them a place to do it. Yes, drugs might not be sold in the building where the injections would occur. Does anyone doubt that they would be sold in the immediate area? Drug dealers aren't stupid; they would go where the addicts are to spread their poison. No city should consider emulating San Francisco, and that city would be far better served by fighting drugs than by tolerating and encouraging them. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake