Pubdate: Thu, 10 Oct 2002
Source: The Outlook (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 The Outlook
Contact:  http://www.northshoreoutlook.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1433
Author: Wayne Phillips

BLOWING SMOKE

Editor,

Re: "Up in smoke," Sept. 26 issue.

If the report by Coun. Fearnley and the drug strategy committee is to be 
anything but another concocted instrument for the purpose of justifying the 
indefensible, namely that drug abuse is a criminal matter (as opposed to a 
health issue), then Fearnley and the committee will certainly have their 
hands full.

If not, the idea (that the public needs a clearer understanding of just how 
pervasive, and expensive drug and alcohol abuse is ) will not only be 
leading astray the focus of the claimed objectives, it will end up serving 
as merely another tool as mentioned above. It will certainly not prevent 
the cost of such elements like higher insurance premiums, damage incurred 
during thefts, health-related issues like HIV and sclerosis of the liver, 
court time and police enforcement, from continuing to escalate. It will 
simply be another expenditure added to that ever expanding list which 
ultimately burdens taxpayers.

Wayne Phillips Hamilton, Ontario
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom