HARPER'S DRUG WAR ATTACKS THE GOOD

To the Editor,

I'd like to give thanks to the Harper government for a new
"war."

Like in the United States where the "war on drugs" has been going on
for decades, this Canadian effort will likely create a few jobs in the
areas of law enforcement. We will, over the long term, likely need to
build more jails (as they have needed to do in the States) in order to
house non-violent offenders, and our recently announced federal tax
surplus will probably help to pay for this ongoing cost.

Never mind that incarceration will cost more than rehabilitation; Mr.
Harper clearly believes that the jobs created are more important than
the negative costs to our society.

Treatment and rehabilitation sounds too nice for the Harper
government's "every man for himself" ideology. Although treatment and
rehabilitation are proven to be effective, long-term incarceration
sounds braver and more prideful. Thank you, Mr. Harper, for choosing
to charge into a war on drugs in Canada, something the United States
has already failed to win.

I am a recovered addict with seven years clean and sober. I've just
brought my family to Nanaimo, and soon we'll be purchasing a house.
After using drugs for nearly a decade, I managed to make it out of
active addiction, disease free and with no criminal record, and this
is largely due to the community support and addiction recovery
services that were available to me prior to getting clean.

I'm not shy about this fact; I'm proud of the man I am, and I'm
grateful to be living in this country with a history of giving and
sharing that shows we take care of ours.

Thank you, Mr. Harper, for trying to take these opportunities away
from other Canadians.

CAMERON WIGMORE

Nanaimo