Pubdate: Sun, 06 Dec 2009
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Leo Cooper

DETOX AND INSITE BOTH GOOD WAYS TO DEAL WITH ADDICTION

Regarding opinions expressed in Jon Ferry's column on Last Door, an 
80-bed recovery centre in New Westminster; why do detox advocates 
relish taking cheap shots at harm-reduction efforts such as Insite 
and yet we never hear Insite supporters criticize detox? Maybe it's 
because harm reduction is a recognized first step toward detox and 
both are on the same side. No conflict exists between the two other 
than in the ignorant pronouncements of those who advocate for 
punishing the addicted.

Those who fail to recognize the place of harm reduction in the 
continuum of recovery are also in denial that we live in a society of 
publicly funded health care.

We don't live in the "Live and Let Die" U.S. If we don't offer 
harm-reducing measures, then we all pay for the consequences through 
increased illness and hospital stays. This concept is much more 
simple than the divisiveness outlined in Ferry's article.

Leo Cooper, Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart