TREAT ADDICTION AS A MEDICAL ISSUE

Re: "The biggest barrier to better, safer streets," Feb. 8. I agree
with Jody Paterson's recent column, but I would take all this talk of
reasons a step further: Addiction is a mental illness.

These poor souls need more than housing; they need therapy and
supervision to overcome this most terrible of mental illnesses.

Addiction is not a social problem; it is a medical one and should be
treated as such.

Robert Brown

Victoria