Pubdate: Mon, 13 Oct 1997
Source: North Shore News (Canada)
Author: Brett Humphreys

Re: Leo Knight's column Oct. 3 "Dopey Solution to Drug Problem"
column.

Firstly, it is the easiest thing in the world to criticize something
or someone. An intelligent treatment of the topic, conveying your own
thoughtful ideas and possible solutions is not for the cowardly.
If you think Vancouver-East MP Libby Davies suggestion of a safe house
for heroin addiction, is "dopey," then I suggest you provide some
alternative plan instead of devoting a whole article to banter.

I'm sorry that decriminalization of heroin is "an old tired argument"
for you; however, there has not been an effective attempt in Canada,
to control, rehabilitate and discourage drug use in a comprehensive
program.

Criminalization of heroin doesn't work. Money is spent on band-aid ad
campaigns and small portions of budgets are devoted to the treatment
of addiction to illegal drugs.

I'm not suggesting full legalization of drugs to support an
"alternative life style," but perhaps to learn from others who are
trying to address the problem, or develop programs to control the
negative effects on society of drug abuse.

You are right and wrong: drug abuse is an individual responsibility,
but it is also a societal responsibility as well. You're right -- no
one forced that needle into the junkie's arm. However, the fact
remains -- there are still junkies supporting their $500 to $1,000.
per day habit, 365 days a year, year after year. So as a society what
do we do about it?

The cost to society is horrendous and unacceptable. Property crime
committed by junkies is estimated at over $300 million per year
(Vancouver Police statistic).

I suggest this is conservative, when you consider indirect costs --
increase in insurance premiums, legal and court costs, lost days of
work for the victims of property crime, intrusion anxiety, etc.

To simply condemn Davies' "safe house" idea as lunacy, or blame the
junkie for sticking a needle in their arm is upholding the status quo.
I quote Mr Knight, "How will Davies' controlled "hit a day" lunacy
deal with those people (drug addicts)? They will still rob, cheat and
steal to get the extra drugs they need."

Your comment is off the mark. I draw your attention to the results of
a three-year Swiss study (1993-1996) experimenting with state
distribution of heroin to addicts.

The results were:

* significant improvements can be obtained in terms of health and
lifestyle, and these persist even after the end of treatment;

* a significant decline of criminal activities;

* economic benefit of heroin-assisted treatment is considerable,
particularly due to the reduction in the cost of criminal procedures
and imprisonment and in terms of disease treatment.

Now, we can criticize this study as an isolated case, or unique to the
particulars of the Swiss society, or continue the hypocrisy of
finger-pointing. The mere thought of considering such an alternative
angle of the problem of heroin addiction is too much for our society.
What are you smoking, Leo?

Brett Humphreys
North Vancouver