Pubdate: Sat, 19 June 1999 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (Canada) Contact: Dick Haimsworth Note: Original: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v99.n639.a12.html JUST CALL ME A HYPOCRITE Jody Paterson's solution to the heroin crisis ("Heroin crisis is our own creation," June 16) makes Alice in Wonderland seem positively Solomic. All the druggies want, she tells us, is "adequate food, housing and heroin" plus jobs, rights and dignity." Hey, where do I sign up? Just give me wine gums instead of heroin. The jobs will have to be sinecures, of course; even Paterson wouldn't want to entrust herself bank tellers or bus drivers permanently zonked out on unlimited free dope. We'll just pay them to stay home and spend our money on "personal care." On the other hand this proposal will certainly solve British Columbia's immigration problem. Joyful addicts will pour into this province from around the world, assured of jobs, housing, food, dignity and drugs at the taxpayers' expense. Even if the scheme were to cut drug costs by 50 per cent, feeding a mere $50 a day habit for B.C.'s 15,000 regular users would cost close to $275 million a year versus Paterson's current estimate of $95 million in direct costs. And who can count the cost of increased usage and consumption by new addicts? Jody Paterson cries mea culpa and preaches that it is hypocrisy to see the heroin addict as morally weak and despicable. OK, call me a hypocrite. Dick Hainsworth, Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D