Pubdate: Tue, 03 Jul 2007 Source: Chilliwack Progress (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 The Chilliwack Progress Contact: http://www.theprogress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/562 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n772/a06.html Author: Ken Baxter PRESSURE ON SUPPLIERS WORKS Re: Vote with your feet, (Chilliwack Progress, June 29). A few years ago a similar business existed in downtown Abbotsford. Along with all the tools to use a variety of drugs the proprietor would busy herself cutting up brillo pads to crack-pipe size to sell for two bits each. I must admit my wife and I were somewhat shocked that this trade was occurring in our city so close to home. The steady traffic of obvious drug users and the placement of all this equipment at the front of the store made it very clear that this was the main purpose of this business. Well we left and decided that we weren't going to just leave it and not go back, but maybe do something about it. After some consideration we returned another day and instead of being focused on what had offended us we had a good look at what else was in the store and not surprisingly there was a lot of the other things that you would expect in a store like this with many brand names you would also expect to see. It didn't take long to find the appropriate contact names and addresses of a number of the brand name suppliers, a short note with a picture attached and an explanation of what was happening with the suggestion that perhaps they did not want to be associated with this activity. For the next few days as I drove past there on my way home from work I could see that this approach worked. The store window view was changing! The Coca Cola cooler was gone, displays advertising brand name ice cream bars were taken down, milk products were removed and on and on. The business was gone shortly after. Now maybe it was on its way out anyway, but I do know that some of the replies that came back from a number of the suppliers I contacted showed they were very supportive and there actions proved it. If the business near you cant' be a good neighbor after being asked and given a chance, then give this approach a try and I think you will find almost all suppliers want to be good neighbors. Ken Baxter Abbotsford - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom