Pubdate: Sat, 24 Dec 2016
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350
Author: Joseph Angele
Page: 4

FENTANYL CRISIS AFFECTS EVERYONE

Two years ago, a good friend of mine died here in Prince George, along
with three others over the Christmas Holidays, all from fentanyl overdoses.

One year before he died, I watched my friend Ken fight, sweat, vomit
and soil his way through withdrawal from heroin, cold turkey. After
three weeks, he found employment, rose quickly through the ranks and
gladly helped others. After eleven months clean, his pain, regrets
from the past, the company of others afflicted and this perverted
unrealistic time of year for a lot of people, culminated in his
succumbing to his addiction one last time.

Since that day, many thousands of our young people from across Canada
have died from drug overdoses and tens of thousands have been
permanently damaged both mentally and physically. Oh, what sorrow,
pain and anguish for the family and loved ones of an addict, not only
at their deaths but also throughout their sad, chaotic and miserable
lives.

The huge financial and emotional stresses put on our police, fire,
paramedics, hospital workers, social workers etc., and our whole
society in general, cannot remain as the status quo. The fact that we
continue to allow evil animals like the Hell's Angels and the myriad
of other organized gangs to prosper while peddling their poison to our
children, is beyond comprehension. They have no conscience, their
tentacles reaching now into our elementary schools.

They deliver women and young girls to the horrors of drug addicted
prostitution, while they send their own daughters to private schools,
with their filthy millions. There should be only one destination for
these premeditating murderers. It is not impossible to rid our country
of these depraved, reprobate, vicious, conscienceless men and women
who have made money and vice their gods. I believe if "we the people"
were ever heard on this matter, there would be no place in Canada for
them.

Our pathetic and anemic response to this cancer is to open safe spaces
for addicts to use, providing free opiates, placing naloxone at every
corner and every pocket in order to bring the dead back to life, and
wagging our finger at China asking them not to allow anymore fentanyl
to be shipped through the mail. I doubt sometimes whether we have the
backbone or fortitude to do what is needed to protect our children and
our future. We have been slowly lulled into a sickening immoral
complacency that seems to be so difficult to overcome. When did we
stop being our brother's keeper?

I have known a few addicts, some in recovery, and each one regretted
the day they began their downward spiral to misery and, more than
likely, an early death. Many are talented, caring, decent souls who
come from less than ideal upbringings and at an early age were abused,
either mentally, verbally, physically and far too often sexually.

Their pain is real. The truth is what it is.

Our native indigenous communities have suffered more than most from
these abuses for far too long. It is difficult, but there can be a
good life after addiction. I believe we should do all that is possible
to help those in addiction, they are more than worth it. But we must
at the same time put an end to those who perpetuate these abuses and
those who continue to feed the insatiable hunger of addiction. The
protections that our justice system affords these blatantly guilty,
savage organizations and individuals is madness. Shame on those that
have corrupted our laws in order to protect the wicked.

My friend Ken had two beautiful children and a family that never
stopped loving him even after many years of worry and disappointment.
He is sadly missed.

Joseph Angele

Prince George
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MAP posted-by: Matt