NEEDLE EXCHANGE NEEDS BETTER LOCATION

In mid-October it was announced that the needle exchange had until the
end of November to clean up its act, or face eviction from its
landlord. I live approximately two blocks from the exchange and can
tell you that the sight of needles, blood, and human waste is still a
common occurrence. A day doesn't go by where we don't find needles in
front of our building, or in our building, as users sometimes kick
needles underneath our garage door after they have finished injecting.

When I think of Victoria I can't help but think of the old ad campaign by the
Partnership for a Drug-Free America. That was the one with the egg
("This is your
brain"); the egg is then dropped on a hot frying pan ("This is your
brain on drugs").
Picture the Legislature and the Inner Harbour: "This is Victoria." Then picture
Cormorant Street and the neighbouring blocks: "This is Victoria on Drugs."

The needle exchange provides a useful service to its users and needs
to remain open, just not in its current state at its current location.

Virginia Johnsen,

Victoria.