Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jul 2009 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Times Colonist Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Diane McNally Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v09/n665/a01.html PROVIDE FREE DRUGS TO CUT DOWN ON CRIME Re: "Criminal activity linked to addiction," June 28. The writer noted that up to 80 per cent of crimes are committed by addicts trying to support their habits. If the drugs that a user is addicted to were provided by the state if the addict is unable to pay for them, crime rates would drop by 80 per cent. "Rehabilitation" cannot be forced on anyone. Whatever the drug is, it's available within half an hour or less of whenever a rehabbed addict is released. The shift has to come from within and cannot be imposed. And sometimes the shift doesn't come, ever. That's reality. As long as street drugs are illegal and there is a sector of people who think addiction can be legislated away, we will spend thousands of dollars on a futile "war on drugs." Diane McNally Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr