Pubdate: Wed, 21 May 2008
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 The Edmonton Journal
Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Canwest News Service
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites)

EX-POLICE SUPPORT SAFE-INJECTION SITE

OTTAWA - Drug addicts could face "certain death" if a supervised
injection site in British Columbia is closed, former police officers
from Canada, Britain and Australia said Tuesday.

Tony Smith of Vancouver, Tom Lloyd of Cambridge, England, and
Christopher Payne of Brisbane, Australia -- all retired from their
respective police forces -- were endorsing Insite, the Vancouver-based
centre located in the city's troubled Downtown Eastside.

"The way to tackle the illegal drugs market is to use a range of
measures," said Lloyd during a news conference on Parliament Hill.
"Law enforcement alone cannot solve drug addiction.

"You can get over addiction, but you can't get over a conviction. If
it's kept open, it will save lives. If it's shut, people will be
condemned to certain death."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin