WORK TOGETHER ON DRUG ISSUE

Editor, The News:

Re: Warring politicians an embarrassment (Letters, Nov. 4) and
Trustee Vdovine entitled to his opinion (Letters. Nov. 4).

Although I can understand why Lorne Riding might write such a letter,
I was surprised with his reference to the coffee shop crowd as being
a place where, "the actual truth is even more astonishing."

In almost a year, I have not seen Mr. Riding attend a school board
meeting to, perhaps, hear what transactions have occurred with
respect to recent information surrounding narcotic issues in our
community. It is quite possible that individuals in the coffee shop
milieu may feel freer to voice their opinions and, thereby, create an
impression of greater truth.

Also in your Nov. 4th edition, Deb Appleby wrote "everyone is
entitled to their opinions." I absolutely agree with her. As noted by
the chair of the Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadows school board, Cheryl
Ashlie, "a politician with a little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing."

I believe it behooves all players at both political tables and at
bureaucratic and professional tables to sit down together and use all
available resources, financial and human, to bring best practice to
bear on any given issue.

With respect to the recent discussions around narcotic issues, I
would encourage Mr. Riding to directly contact the professionals who
are working on the ground with narcotic issues and to review the
Rewind movie recently produced by local youth and mentors.

In the end, I am glad that many folks in our amazing community have
taken strong and differing stands on this issue because it caused me
to spend many hours talking with front-line workers in seven
communities in B.C., senior government officials and a variety of
people who work in both reactive and pro-active services. It has also
caused people to engage in meaningful conversations about this topic.

I do know for a fact that Mrs. Ashlie has invested many more hours
than I have in gathering knowledge and promoting prevention
strategies in this area.

I know Maple Ridge Mayor Gord Robson and his wife, Mary, have spent
much more time than I have in bringing attention to a dangerous
designer drug and its devastating impact on users and the community.

I know that front-line workers and professionals have their fingers
firmly on the pulse of what is happening locally and provincially.

But I also know that the next designer drug is just around the corner
and it will be prudent to have a comprehensive plan that continually
deals with the narcotic spectrum.

If we only throw money at the flavour of the week we just might lose
sight of the gateway drugs and their lurid pathway to addiction.

Things become problematic when well intentioned people, purportedly
having done their research, stick to their opinions in spite of good
information being brought to light from a variety of credible sources.

We need the voices of parents, youth, professionals, politicians,
bureaucrats and others to weigh in on this topic to truly develop,
embrace and implement a successful, broad-based narcotic prevention strategy.

Rick Butler

Trustee

School District 42