Pubdate: Sun, 15 Jul 2007
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Barry Carvish

CHAMBER'S VIEWS ON ADDICTION DISTURBING

I am surprised and disturbed that the Victoria Chamber of Commerce 
and its members have voted against the idea of trial safe injection 
sites for our city.

I can't understand why the chamber is failing the public and 
businesses of Victoria by speaking against harm-reduction methods 
that may prove to be useful and effective for public-health and 
drug-addiction issues in our city. The safe-injection sites supported 
by our city council are not in themselves a solution, but are 
possibly a step in the right direction.

Common sense dictates it is pointless to invest endless taxpayers' 
funds into stronger law enforcement and larger jails; you only have 
to look south of the border to see the effects of that strategy. The 
United States has among the highest incarceration rate of its 
citizens jailed for the use of drugs and still has high drug addiction rates.

Our society needs to support new and innovative methods that may help 
contribute to a better understanding of drug addiction. We've got 
nothing to lose and much to gain by trying new ideas that may help 
solve the same old problems.

Barry Carvish,

Victoria.
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