First, it was the U.S.-based DARE program. Now, it's the U.S.-based "Community Safety Net" program that will "teach" Regina students about drugs. The DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance) program, used by police in schools has proven to be ill-conceived, ineffective and very expensive. Students know when they're being lied to and this always causes worse damage than simply telling the truth. Programs like DARE and Community Safety Net tell students that marijuana will turn them into crazy drug addicts. When they try it and realize what they were told isn't true, maybe they start to question the terrible things they heard about crystal meth or heroin - -- and this is where the trouble sometimes begins. Police officers should not be teaching drug education in schools any more than police should be teaching sex education. [continues 83 words]
To the Editor: I read recently, the MacLean's article that refers to Regina's North Central as the worst neighborhood in Canada. Many of the problems that exist here, are the same that we've seen over the years in East Vancouver, where concerned citizens and community groups have come together to start Insite ^ Canada's first Safe Injection Site for IV drug users. Insite has proven itself by saving lives, reducing disease and increasing public safety in the city of Vancouver. [continues 163 words]
