WHAT'S 'SAFE' ABOUT SHOOTING TOXIC DRUGS INTO YOUR VEINS?

The Editor,

Re. "More injection sites urged -- even in Fraser Health region" (The
Tri-City News, Aug. 20).

As I read the article concerning so called "safe" injection sites and their
fate, it struck me as odd to refer as anything concerned with injecting
potentially deadly toxins into one's body as "safe."

I also thought it was odd that the person recommending even more sites is a
researcher. His job is to deal with studies and statistics, not with actual
people.

For the last four years, I have been walking in the Downtown Eastside of
Vancouver, offering hope and love to those lonely and despairing souls.
They have never once said there should be more injection sites. They are
asking for more detox centres, more safe, affordable housing and support to
get off drugs. When a person makes the decision to get off drugs, he needs
to go to detox right now, not in two to three weeks, which is the usual
waiting period.

Also, it is stated that 607 people use the site each day. That would mean
that if the site was open 24 hours a day, 25 people per hour would use it.
I walk by that site every Tuesday and I have never seen a line-up.

Drug addiction is a disease that invades a person's mind, body and soul. As
one of the women downtown tearfully said to me, "It grabs hold of you and
it won't let go."

When a drug addict needs a fix, they get their dope, drop down wherever
they are and shoot up. I have seen this with my own eyes many, many times
in the past four years. Have any of these researchers, mayors and other
proponents of so called "harm reduction" ever witnessed this sad reality?

Prime Minister Stephen Harper would use our tax dollars to a greater
advantage by providing more detox centres, recovery programs, affordable,
safe housing and job training.

As one little girl said to her dad, "If it's safe, does that mean it's okay
to do it?"

What message do so called "safe" injection sites send to our young people
and all of us?

Rhonda Madaski, Port Coquitlam