ANOTHER VERSION OF THE FOUR-PILLAR SOLUTION

I must congratulate Const. Rom Ranallo for so succinctly
encapsulating our drug addict problem and the uselessness of the so
called four-pillar answer, which thus far has been trying to stand on
just one pillar.

I have forgotten what the other three pillars were because we are
constantly being bombarded with unsubstantiated reports as to how
great this "harm reduction initiative" is doing.

Has anyone heard how many of the addicts have had their "harm"
reduced in the past two years? Have we heard how many of these
addicts have been able to kick their habit and get back into the
workforce as a result of this wonderful drug antidote? Have we heard
how much the drug dealers' income has been reduced as a result of the
success of this initiative?

If you have, please let me know.

To add to Ranallo's ideas, here is my suggestion for what the four
pillars should be:

1. Drug addiction is, and should be considered an illness regardless
of how it may have been contracted. We need to convert some of those
hospitals that the provincial government shut down into treatment
centres for the addicts.

2. Re-educate and retrain these rehabilitated addicts and give them
back their sense of self-worth and pride.

3. Help them to get back into the workforce, especially if that means
helping them to help other addicts by promoting their own success
story. Put them all on the lecture circuit and pay them.

4. Whenever drug dealers are arrested, no matter how seldom, force
feed them with their own drugs, send them downtown to get the free
needles that the present advocates think is the answer, and after
five years put them on the above program.

I recently attended the fundraiser and award night by the Coast
Mental Health Foundation under the title of "Courage to Come Back."
It was a tear-jerker night as each of the award recipients told their
story in each of which there was the same underlying theme.

After ending up at the bottom of the pile of lost souls in most cases
due to drugs, one day they decided to ask for help and when they did,
it was immediately given to them. They recovered, they re-educated
themselves in some form or fashion and they once again became useful
citizens and regained their pride and dignity.

Let's not provide the victims with the means to constantly keep them in limbo.

Wilbur Walrond lives in Richmond.