SAFE INJECTION SITES HAVE BEEN TRIED AND FAILED

Re: No legalized pot, but safe injection sites, Nugget, Feb. 9.

Stephane Dion and the Liberal Party want more safe injection sites, a
program that has failed in more than than 36 countries (National
Post, May 9, 2007).

This program allows addicts to safely inject themselves with their
own heroin. Is this the only help we can offer addicts, to keep them
addicted, which means no hope, no future?

The current data in Canada shows that use of cannabis by the Canadian
public over age 15 is 14 per cent. For all other illegal drugs,
prevalence remains from 0.5 to three per cent.

These rates are low compared to the 30 per cent range for tobacco use
and about 80 per cent range for alcohol use. Clearly our drug laws
hold overall rates of illegal drug use at much lower levels than
their legal counterparts.

It also stands to reason that we benefit from these lower rates of
illegal drug use since they lower health care costs. Besides, getting
addicts off drugs should be the government's first and only concern.
We should learn from Europe where safe injection sites have been
tried and failed.

Dion's plan to help drug addicts remain in their misery scares me and
should scare all Canadians.

JEANNINE LEBEL

Powassan