Pubdate: Sun, 18 Feb 2007
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 The Province
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Barry Joneson

SPIRALLING ADDICTION

Public-health doctors John Blatherwick, David Marsh and Perry Kendall 
are at the forefront of most of the drug-substitution, harm-reduction 
strategies for addicts in Vancouver.

All their projects have had little or no effect.

I sense public opinion is changing, as people tire of initiatives 
like free heroin, safe-injection sites, needle exchanges, methadone 
maintenance, etc.

No drug will create any long-term solution for the addict or society. 
Addicts can only change with a healing of the spirit, and no amount 
of drugs will facilitate that change. These drug distributions cost 
taxpayers millions, and divert dollars from our broken health-care system.

They lead to spiralling addiction rates, and we still have one of the 
highest rates of Hepatitis C and HIV in the western world.

How much damage is being done to our reputation as a beautiful city 
and how many kids will be hooked on drugs and die as prevention and 
treatment strategies take a back seat to this one-pillar 
harm-reduction sideshow?

Barry Joneson, Burnaby
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom