Pubdate: Fri, 14 Oct 2016
Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB)
Copyright: 2016 The Edmonton Journal
Website: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134
Author: Petra Schulz
Page: A14

GIVE A VOICE TO THOSE BATTLING ADDICTION

Re. "Downtown Residents fed up with parade of addicts, drunks," David
Staples, Oct. 12

I was dismayed with the language used in David Staples' column, the
message of the column and especially the headline.

We lost our youngest son to a fentanyl overdose in 2014 and I can tell
you, in spite of the fact that he struggled with addiction, he was
first and foremost a loving son and a wonderful person.

People who use, or misuse, substances deserve compassionate treatment
for the medical condition we call addiction. Furthermore, those in the
inner city deserve housing and services in the neighbourhood they call
home.

There is a simple solution to public injection and needles on the
ground: add supervised injection services to existing programs.

I can't understand how a columnist could comment on this without
giving a voice to those who struggle on the street, those who serve
them, and without looking at the medical evidence that shows that harm
reduction services and housing - not kicking people out of a
neighbourhood - are the solutions to substance misuse and
homelessness.

Petra Schulz, Edmonton
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MAP posted-by: Matt