ATTACK ON HEROIN TREATMENT SHAMEFUL, STUNNING

To the editor:

Re: "New heroin giveaway project gears up for rigged game," Jan. 13.

I'm afraid I am a bit stunned at Mark Hasiuk's latest opinion column,
which shows such a lack of understanding of the dynamics of addiction.

His attack on SALOME, harm reduction facilities and programs is a
waste of human energy. It reads like a Drug Free America diatribe. (Oh
please, would the addicted heroin user just pull up his socks and stop
using and please go to the closest addiction treatment facility). If
only it were so simple.

I gather Hasiuk is in favour of drug treatment. Dr. Michael Krausz,
who he snickers at, is also the medical director of a 100-bed
in-patient addiction treatment facility. I am not surprised he didn't
have the time to meet with Hasiuk and his naive understanding of addiction.

As a registered nurse who has worked on the street in the Downtown
Eastside for 15 years, and as a staff nurse at NAOMI, I have seen how
these programs have worked. Please take a look at overdose rates,
rates of people accessing methadone treatment and/or addiction treatment.

Shame on Hasiuk for slamming people who are trying to make a
difference and have dedicated much of their life energy to improving
this situation.

Fiona Gold,

Vancouver