Pubdate: Sun, 01 Jun 2008
Source: Province, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Canwest Publishing Inc.
Contact: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/letters.html
Website: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/476
Author: Renee Carignan

SUPPORTING CRIME

In all the polarized praise and criticism about Insite, no one has 
mentioned the singular, glaring problem with the concept.

Each of the participants brings in his/her own drugs to inject safely.

The money to buy these drugs is often derived from criminal activity, 
including theft, home invasion, robbery and the sex trade.

This means that, well-meaning though we may be, we are supporting 
criminal activity against our own selves.

The recently conducted NAOMI project, which consisted of 
administering clean heroin to individuals who had tried and failed at 
other forms of treatment, was apparently very successful.

The most overwhelming difference with NAOMI is that, by providing 
free drugs to those who are, at least for now, irrevocably addicted, 
we can reduce harm to the public through addiction-fuelled crime.

Renee Carignan, Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom