Pubdate: Thu, 10 Nov 2005
Source: Westender (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 WestEnder
Contact:  http://www.westender.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1243
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

DUNBAR GETS THE TREATMENT

Dunbar residents are furious. This became painfully obvious when they
raised hell at an all-candidates debate last Monday about the city's
proposal to build a halfway house for addicts at Dunbar and 16th
Avenue. The city is trying to move treatment centres out of the
Downtown Eastside so addicts aren't further marginalized and can get
well by being subversed in a healthy environment. What tragic irony.
Addiction is not an easy illness to cure. Side effects include a
deadly and annoying mix of ignorance and hysteria. Their fear is that
the addicts will destroy the neighbourhood by leaving dirty needles in
the schoolyards. This argument doesn't take into account the fact
that, as they're in treatment, the addicts are no longer drug users
and should not be doing anything with needles unless they get hooked
onto crocheting - God help them. The recovering addicts are already
going to have to battle against other dangerous temptations in the
neighbourhood (like arts and craft cravings). They'll need to be
tough. And herein lies the perfect reason why the centre should be
built. The two need each other now more than ever. The addicts can
help Dunbar keep life in perspective, while Dunbar can give the
addicts the kind of attention and care they may have never gotten
before. It's a match made in their own well-manicured backyards.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin