Pubdate: Thu, 13 Jul 2000
Source: Richmond Review (CN BC)
Copyright: 2000 Richmond Public Library
Contact:  Unit 140 5671 No. 3 Road, Richmond, B.C.
Fax: (604) 606-8752
Website: http://www.rpl.richmond.bc.ca/community/RichmondReview/
Author: Branko Popazivanov, Richmond

NEEDLE EXCHANGE WON'T HELP ADDICTS

In regard to your editorial ("Needle exchange needed," Viewpoint, June 28) 
that Richmond Hospital is to begin  handing out "clean" needles to IV drug 
addicts there is an old saying which goes, "the road to hell is paved with 
good intentions." Also George Orwell made this statement, "Our thinking has 
deteriorated to such an extent that the first duty of intelligent men is to 
re-state the obvious."

I certainly would not like to see drug addicts using "dirty" needles to 
inject their deadly drugs, but even if they use "clean" needles these 
unfortunate people are still injecting deadly substances into their bodies 
that over time totally destroy their health and ruin their lives. Giving IV 
drug addicts "clean" needles to inject these deadly and harmful drugs like 
heroin and cocaine is tantamount to handing out "clean" glasses to 
alcoholics so they can drink cheap alcohol, aftershave lotion and rubbing 
alcohol "safely." It's time to tell IV drug addicts the truth: by injecting 
these deadly drugs you are slowly committing suicide and in many cases 
flirting with sudden death in case of an overdose.

Rather than funding programs which effectively help IV drug addicts to kick 
their deadly and harmful habit our government "do gooder" bureaucrats are 
tacitly saying to IV drug users, "It's OK if you inject these addictive and 
deadly drugs into your body, just be careful to use clean needles so you 
don't catch a deadly disease." I would tell these unfortunate IV drug 
addicts the truth, that even if they use perfectly "clean" needles they are 
still injecting deadly and harmful drugs into their bodies.

It's time to call a spade a spade and help these unfortunate drug addicts 
to free themselves from their slavery and addiction to these deadly drugs. 
Handing out free "clean" needles won't help IV drug addicts to free 
themselves from their deadly and harmful addiction to drugs.
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