Pubdate: Thu, 09 Feb 2012 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Copyright: 2012 Nanaimo Daily News Contact: http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 Author: Andrew Brown HARM REDUCTION DOES NOT AIM TO 'CURE' ADDICTIONS Re: 'Harm reduction not the solution to addictions' (Daily News, Feb. 7) In response to Sharon McKay's letter regarding harm reduction initiatives by VIHA, she states: "Addictions are not solved by supplying the means or the product." Why is it that everyone who is against harm reduction believes that harm reduction is a method to "cure" addiction? Harm reduction means just that-harm reduction. By providing the tools to people with addiction problems, VIHA is helping to reduce the spread of diseases associated with street level addiction. Facing addiction is hard enough, but living with AIDS or Hep C would make life far worse, and definitely quash any hope of rehabilitation. Everybody makes wrong choices at some point in their life. Why are addicts the only ones that deserve to die for them? Andrew Brown, Nanaimo - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom