Pubdate: Mon, 05 Jun 2000 Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Copyright: 2000 Canberra Times Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Author: Carrie May Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v00/n704/a08.html MESSAGE WE SEND OUT IS IMPORTANT ANYONE reading the Letters page on Monday, May 29, and Sunday, May 28, would have been forgiven for thinking that The Canberra Times was biased! Shock, horror! At least that was the message I got when the same letter by Steve Erskine, supporting the injecting room, was printed on both days. Now I am sure that it was just an error on the part of the CT's editorial staff, but do you see how easy it is for people to get the wrong message? Which is why I still firmly believe that setting up an injecting room for drug addicts sends the wrong message, to them and to any others who might be considering using illegal drugs to numb their emotional pain, that society condones drug taking. Addicts of any kind look for approval to keep them addicted. That is why an alcoholic will grasp on to any report that says that "drinking is good for you'', or "a glass or two a day won't hurt you''. The same thing is true with drug addicts; they too really want approval to continue their deadly habit. Let's not give it to them. If Michael Moore is really wanting to help drug addicts then he should set up more detox units. (Or are they too costly?) Maybe that's why he wants to inflict an "el cheapo" drug-injecting room on us: it will cost less to run. Carrie May Belconnen - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk