CATERING TO ADDICTS COULD BE ACTIONABLE

To the editor:

Re: "Media-fueled drug hysteria blurs focus," Dec. 11.

Please spare us any more pro/condoning addictive drug propaganda. The
guest column by Dan Resist gives a slanted view that flies in the face
of most medical professionals', police officers', and addicts'
testimonials.

If that wasn't enough nonsense, we have Ann Livingston and all her
"stoned" (pardon the pun) out-of-control addicts lamenting the dangers
of shooting alone ("Insite staff urged to help addicts inject," Dec.
4).

While VANDU and NAOMI complain we're not doing enough, I have yet to
hear any of these misguided groups show one iota of concern for the
citizens who are robbed, beaten, or shot on a daily basis to
facilitate a visit to the safe injection site.

The hypocrisy surrounding this issue begs for attention. Ann may
applaud the 5,000 addicts who frequent the centre but I see 5,000
crimes. The mentally ill need to be in hospitals and the addicted
should be treated in a community away from populations.

The detoxing for some could take years and then there are the four to
five per cent of the population who like to get high and don't give a
damn.

Those individuals should be incarcerated for life, which means we may
need more jails and officers. Have we as a society become so
politically correct that we don't feel we are entitled to safe
communities?

There are already legal cases pending in other countries that have
similar sites. The addicts and the families of addicts in the U.K.
etc. are suing the cities for enabling and providing a site for an
activity that is lethal in the long term while calling it "safe."

Perhaps it's just a matter of time before victims of our crime wave
decide to sue those responsible for facilitating an activity that is
knowingly tied to assault and robbery.

Patti Milsom

Vancouver