NIMBY noise

Re: "Clinic for addicts opens as residents fight on," July 8.

We are in the midst of a debate about the placement of an addiction
treatment centre in Braeside. Apparently, people are up in arms
about the prospect of having "that element" in our neighbourhood.
Not that addicts shouldn't receive treatment, they say, just that
they should receive treatment in another neighbourhood, preferably
an industrial one. That's an interesting choice. I suspect transit
could be an issue. Is transit as accessible in an industrial area
as it is 25 blocks from a train station, on two bus routes? Are
people being treated for addiction more prone to violent crime than
the general population?What about prescription medications-addicts,
alcoholics, gamblers and smokers?

The police are working hard to prevent addiction by cutting off the
flow of drugs. We have the Canadian military working and dying to cut
off the flow of drugs. We have addiction treatment professionals
working to help people beat their addictions and cut the demand for
drugs. We "back the blue" and we "support our troops." We send our
addictions treatment professionals to the industrial wasteland. Is
addiction treatment classified as heavy industrial, light industrial,
commercial, religious or medical?

Mike Klein

Calgary