CLEMENT AT FAULT

Health Minister Tony Clement attacks doctors for supporting "the
distribution of drugs that are of unknown substance, or purity, or
potency" at Insite.

But the blame for this lies with Clement and his government.

These drugs are dangerous and unpredictable only because Clement's
Yankee-style "war on drugs" doesn't allow anyone except criminals to
supply them.

Instead of demonizing addicts, let's ignore them. Let's think
selfishly about our own interests.

If addicts could pay prescription-like prices for quality controlled
drugs at a licensed or government-run pharmacy, at least two things
would happen: Firstly, most addicts wouldn't need to steal from our
homes and stores to feed their habits.

Secondly, the wealth and power of organized crime would be
drastically cut, as the gangs would lose their largest and most
profitable business.

A controlled legal supply may improve life modestly for addicts, but
it is guaranteed to improve life enormously for everyone else --
except for the gangs.

Steve Finlay, Burnaby