WE NEED TO FIND A HUMANE WAY TO DEAL WITH DRUG ISSUE

Re: Drug abuse 'a medical issue,' Jan. 16

I am so glad I live in a country where two-thirds of the population
surveyed believes that drug addiction should be treated as a health
issue and not a criminal issue. Prime Minister Stephen Harper's
proposed "get tough on drug use" strategy is guaranteed to do two
things: One, put already marginalized, disenfranchised people in
jail; and, two, do absolutely nothing to solve the problem of drug addiction.

Conservatives, wake up. How many times do you need to be told that
the war on drugs is a total failure? We need to find new and humane
ways to deal with what is ultimately a public health crisis.

Patrick Mackenzie

Vancouver