MY SON DIED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T WANT TO QUIT

I was very sad to look at the front page of yesterday's Province
because a week ago I lost my son, either through an overdose or
through bad drugs.

He was found in a Vancouver hotel room, and had probably been dead
for two or three days.

He was 46, and had a drug problem for about 30 years.

Although there are many good intentions in yesterday's article on
finding help for these people, a drug addict still has to want to
quit his or her habit. They have to admit their addiction and want to
make changes to get better.

My son spent time in many rehab centres and jail, but he still went
out on the street and continued to poison his body.

No amount of support from family and friends, rehab or even jail time
swayed his habit.

He paid the ultimate price last week and left behind a broken-hearted
family and friends.

I don' know what the answer is. But the only time a person like my
son was safe was when he was locked up or confined to a drug-rehab centre.

My plea to drug users is to read this story and that of others who
have met the same fate, and think long and hard about the path they
have chosen.

You can keep putting poison into your veins and consider it your life
and forget about living a decent life. Or you can make a change and
work on getting better. There are resources out there, but you have
to want them.

Irene Constantineau,

Abbotsford