Pubdate: Wed, 14 Feb 2007
Source: Windsor Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 The Windsor Star
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/windsor/windsorstar/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/501
Author: Allyson Attwater

ALCOHOL, DRUG ADDICTION AS MUCH A DISEASE AS CANCER

This letter is in reference to S. Wilder's Feb. 9 letter regarding 
the Brentwood funding. How can someone still in today's society be so 
intolerant? Since when is alcohol and drug abuse not a disease? I can 
tell that S. Wilder has been without proper education for quite some time.

Have you thought about all the thousands of people out there who 
suffer from mental illness and depression, conditions that may impair 
their judgment and therefore develop addictions? I agree that there 
is ownership to addiction, but you can't take away programs that help 
them learn coping strategies. How do you ever expect anyone to 
overcome addiction without structured treatment?

I feel for anyone in your family that develops any sort of addiction. 
I'm fairly certain that you won't be around for support. How exactly 
do you know that half of people in Brentwood are repeat offenders?

Do you work there? Completed any studies?You need to keep your 
ignorant comments to yourself and stop offending many of the people 
Brentwood has affected. God forbid an addict actually gets help.

Maybe we should just take all our suffering and recovering addicts 
over to the Capitol Theatre for a nice play and refreshments. While 
we're at it, why don't we shut down the local homeless shelters? 
Don't homeless people choose to be homeless?

Allyson Attwater

Windsor
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman