Pubdate: Fri, 01 Sep 2006 Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Surrey Leader Contact: http://www.surreyleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236 Author: Dave Bains DRAWING IN MORE ADDICTS Vancouver's safe injection site was started as the four-pillar approach to solve the drug problem on the Vancouver East Side. It is a fraud perpetrated by some well-meaning politicians and people in the industry. There are no four pillars and as I have said for the past three years or so, there will never be four pillars. If these politicians don't know this then they are looking through rose-coloured glasses. There is no money to put in for the fourth pillar, i.e. treatment, and for the very few who may turn their lives around and become productive citizens, it is just not cost-effective. There are too many other good causes crying out for more funds. The proponents tell us of its success. They have simply changed the definition of success. No one has been weaned off drugs, they only tout that no one has died from overdose. Big deal. What kind of life is it where their existence solely revolves around injecting drugs? The only advantage I see in it for the addicts is that they have a clean and supervised place. But that makes for good attraction to draw addicts from other parts. Dave Bains Surrey - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin