PIED PIPER OF CRACK LEADING KIDS TO DOOM

Re: "Island users to get free crack pipes," Dec. 13.

My question to the Vancouver Island Health Authority, which seems to
be celebrating a recent study showing the harm-reduction success of
crack pipes, is this: Has a comparison study been completed to
demonstrate that the lives saved by not contracting HIV/AIDS and
hepatitis C outweigh the numbers of people who go crazy through taking
street drugs?

Are the results of the needle exchange (euphemism, surely, for
needle-distribution centre) compatible with Canada's stated goals of
harm reduction? Has it reduced the harms associated with alcohol and
drugs to individuals, families and communities?

Rev. Andre Bigras says the status quo reminds him of the Pied Piper
taking our kids down the road to doom except we are handing them the
pipe to do it to themselves.

To conclude, I shall use a crude analogy: Imagine a situation where we
have food outlets where people can purchase food riddled with an
addictive toxin that creates delusions, panic, schizophrenia-type
symptoms -- but we pat ourselves on the back because down the road
they can at least collect their package of clean cutlery with which to
consume the poison?

Maggi Woodiwiss,

Saanich