PROBLEMS WILL MIGRATE

Am I missing something? Please, someone explain. I just cannot figure
out why it is illegal to buy, sell, grow or smoke marijuana, but it is
OK to let heroin, crack cocaine users to shoot up on the streets of
our capital city.

It is OK to have Vancouver Island Health Authority buy up a building,
half a block from a school so users can get clean needles, then go
back on the street and continue their antics. I am sure the kids will
look forward to going to and leaving school.

Now they are putting nice new Sharps containers on the streets, with
the assumption all users will place their dirty needles in.

Why not allocate an empty school building, or day care centre for
these people? They have lots of locations to choose from. They will
have shelter, washrooms.

Better than using public washrooms, like the street, doorways, etc.
Free needles could be delivered to them, even the dealers would have
easier access to their clients.

Give them an allowance so they don't have to break into vehicles for
small change. People trying to make ends meet may be able to go to
their cars after a hard day at work and have less worries of either
being accosted in a parkade, or find their car windows smashed.

How about free needles for kids with diabetes?

How about setting up an empty school for the homeless people on the
streets, people not there by choice, but because of no affordable
housing. Young couples, both working, still have to go to food banks
so they can feed their kids.

What message are we sending children? That addicts are given more
thought to than they are?

I thought about sending this letter to the Times Colonist however,
maybe communities, like Parksville, Qualicum etc., will take a minute
to think about the problem in the capital city because if a real
solution isn't found there, you can rest assured the problem will be
coming to a town near you.

A. Matthews

Parksville