SAFE-INJECTION SITES A USEFUL STOPGAP

Re: "Drugs still illegal, even with safe injection," Aug 22.

Supervised-consumption sites reduce prohibition-related harms without
addressing the underlying dysfunction. Indeed, one could argue that
harm reduction enables prohibitionists, perpetuating their
self-destructive dependence.

Maybe we should conduct an intervention and force prohibitionists to
face the damage they have done. Take them on tours of Colombia and
Afghanistan. Make them meet with American children whose parents are
serving mandatory minimum sentences for non-violent drug offences.
Introduce them to parents whose children have died from contaminants
and easily preventable overdoses and blood-borne diseases. Some folks
need to hit rock bottom before they are ready to change.

On the other hand, baby steps like medicinal cannabis regulations and
supervised-consumption sites offer drug warriors a low-threshold
doorway back toward rational drug policies.

In the interest of saving money and lives, I think we should do all we
can to reduce prohibition-related harm until the drug warriors are
ready and willing to quit.

Matthew M. Elrod,

Victoria.