HARM REDUCTION STARTS WITH CHILDREN

As a parent of children at St. Andrew's Elementary, I have concerns
that the harm-reduction activists undertaking a "guerrilla needle
exchange" have not carefully considered the harm their own actions will bring.

Providing clean needles may mitigate the spread of diseases
associated with intravenous drug use. However, the culture of drug
use perpetuates a downward spiral. Discarded syringes are not the
only concern of local residents and parents in the area of this
latest action by harm-reduction advocates. Drug dealing, open drug
use, antisocial behaviour and public disorder all destroy
neighbourhood livability and threaten our social order.

As a society, we decide how best to protect our most vulnerable
citizens, especially children, the elderly, the poor and those who
suffer other disadvantages. And we consider whether our decisions
will make things better or worse. Protection of children needs to be
a benchmark in any social decision-making. Through their actions,
some harm-reduction advocates assign the lowest priority to the
children and neighbours.

Let's get drug addicts the help they need to overcome their
destructive addictions, but let's not fall into a harm-reduction
ideology that sacrifices our shared future to the relentless enemy of
drug addiction.

Jeff Fillipone

Victoria