SAD TO SEE NOTHING HAS CHANGED ABOUT DRUGS

THE EDITOR:

It is sad that some 14 years after B.C. Chief Coroner, Vince Caine
held an 'open inquest' on the continuous stream of drug deaths, things
are, if anything, worse today, than they were back then.

One of his open consultations was at the Coast Bastion Inn and perhaps
30 people attended. The discussion centred around more money and
support for addicts attempting to quit their addiction. Nobody tackled
the subject of why the drug scene had deteriorated so badly in the
preceeding 25 to 30 years in Nanaimo.

Finally I got up and proposed that all drug use be legalized and
regulated and gave my reasons. There was silence in response and with
that, the meeting was declared closed.

After the meeting was officially over, the Coroner came over for a
brief chat and he said that an increasing number of individuals were
expressing my point of view.

Certainly the jail or forced treatment regime has not worked and we
are still losing addicts on a regular basis. On the Mainland the drug
scene exhibits mayhem and murder on a daily basis. It is time to
rethink the legalization and regulation of all drugs whether 'legal'
or not.

Alastair James Berry

Nanaimo