ADDING TO THE METH CYCLE

Re: "More money to fight crystal meth abuse," (The Leader, March 19).

I do not think that spending $8 million on helping teen drug addicts
is a wise choice.

True, this makes a lot more beds for teen addicts to use. But really,
what's the point? Will the beds cure the addiction? Not to my knowledge.

So they'll dry the patients out, then they'll go out and do more meth,
then maybe they'll come back, and the cycle keeps going on and on. Is
this curing the addictions? No. It's giving the addicts a place to
stay.

This money will also pay for employing some workers to teach teens how
to do drugs safely, using clean needles.

Well, they'll still be doing drugs, whether they're using clean
needles or not. Maybe they'll be protected against AIDS, but they'll
still do the drugs and that might kill them instead.

The needle exchange program is an interesting idea, but not the most
productive. It's giving broke, homeless teens another reason to do
drugs: they'll get free, clean needles. Put that with a dry bed for
six months and life seems good.

In my opinion, we should spend more money trying to get kids off
drugs, not giving them reasons to do them.

Hailey Unger

Surrey