Pubdate: Fri, 25 Aug 2006 Source: Tri-City News (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Tri-City News Contact: http://web.bcnewsgroup.com/portals-code/lettersform.cgi?paper=74 Website: http://www.tricitynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239 Author: Rhonda Madaski Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v06/n1108/a02.html Alert: Save Lives by Preserving InSite www.mapinc.org/alert/0334.html Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/InSite Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Supervised Injection Sites) WHAT'S 'SAFE' ABOUT SHOOTING TOXIC DRUGS INTO YOUR VEINS? The Editor, Re. "More injection sites urged -- even in Fraser Health region" (The Tri-City News, Aug. 20). As I read the article concerning so called "safe" injection sites and their fate, it struck me as odd to refer as anything concerned with injecting potentially deadly toxins into one's body as "safe." I also thought it was odd that the person recommending even more sites is a researcher. His job is to deal with studies and statistics, not with actual people. For the last four years, I have been walking in the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver, offering hope and love to those lonely and despairing souls. They have never once said there should be more injection sites. They are asking for more detox centres, more safe, affordable housing and support to get off drugs. When a person makes the decision to get off drugs, he needs to go to detox right now, not in two to three weeks, which is the usual waiting period. Also, it is stated that 607 people use the site each day. That would mean that if the site was open 24 hours a day, 25 people per hour would use it. I walk by that site every Tuesday and I have never seen a line-up. Drug addiction is a disease that invades a person's mind, body and soul. As one of the women downtown tearfully said to me, "It grabs hold of you and it won't let go." When a drug addict needs a fix, they get their dope, drop down wherever they are and shoot up. I have seen this with my own eyes many, many times in the past four years. Have any of these researchers, mayors and other proponents of so called "harm reduction" ever witnessed this sad reality? Prime Minister Stephen Harper would use our tax dollars to a greater advantage by providing more detox centres, recovery programs, affordable, safe housing and job training. As one little girl said to her dad, "If it's safe, does that mean it's okay to do it?" What message do so called "safe" injection sites send to our young people and all of us? Rhonda Madaski, Port Coquitlam - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D