Pubdate: Thu, 22 Sep 2011 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2011, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Page: 9 Author: J. Sharpe FREEBIES FOR ADDICTS WASTES TAX DOLLARS To the Editor, Re: City's social problems getting shuffled, Letters, Sept. 20. Susan Knight hit it right on the head. We are constantly barraged by the need to provide homes, medical treatment, free needle exchanges and food for the drug addicts who must, of necessity, use any money they can get to support their habits. And to think they get this money legally is ludicrous. Without mandatory treatment and a zero tolerance for drug use, no one should get this freebie. Unfortunately, there is a thriving industry in supporting these addicts, using tax dollars, I might add. The agencies that promote continued drug-addict support don't want to put themselves out of a job. This might seem cynical, but when the number of agencies and people in the social support network using tax dollars, which pay rents, salaries, promotional costs and other expenses, to help people act illegally and completely irresponsibly, is a crime. Let's enforce the laws we have. J. Sharpe Nanaimo - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart