Pubdate: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 Source: Illawarra Mercury (Australia) Copyright: Illawarra Newspapers Contact: http://mercury.illnews.com.au/ Author: Lindie Hough WHY SHOULD PUBLIC SUPPORT DRUG ADDICTS? I drove down from Penrith on October 23 to take my grand-daughter to her personal hairdresser. He does hair one-on-one so there is no interruption with other clients. Forty minutes later my four-year-old grand-daughter was getting bored, so I decided to take her for a walk. We left Piccadilly Arcade and walked back down to Crown Central. On the way down all we saw were drug addicts. I felt like we were imposing on their patch, it was like we did not belong, the same on the way back. My grand-daughter asked what was wrong with a man who was clearly off his face, others sitting like zombies, some scratching, some running around like idiots (which they are), not knowing what to do or where to go, totally screwed up. Why do we, the taxpayer, have to put up with totally self-inflicted drug addiction? We teach our children that drugs are wrong and deadly, why should we have to see them on the street looking like the drop kicks they are? You are not allowed in the CBD intoxicated, why is it okay to be in a drug-addicted state? Lindie Hough, Penrith. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D