GUN, DRUG WOES LINKED

Many times an argument can be made to support just about any
ill-conceived idea. And, at the same time, we can also be convinced to
reject proposals that could actually do us some good.

So when we hear about Toronto Council's citywide drug and alcohol plan
we should be cautioned not to let emotions guide us.

Certainly, it should be agreed that drug addicts need to be treated
with some compassion. After all, no one sets out to be enslaved by an
addiction. It should also be agreed that treating drug addiction
benefits us all. Council's wide-ranging plan, which was approved
Wednesday, has 66 recommendations for dealing with drug and alcohol
abuse. Included in the strategy are plans that would limit the
concentration of licensed bars in single neighbourhoods.

Also included are harm-reduction and disease-reduction measures. As
well, the city is urging the province to set up more treatment centres.

The strategy certainly makes sense but it is not without controversy -
namely a proposal to study creating injection/inhalation sites for
heroin and crack cocaine users, and a boost to the city's program that
would see health workers hand out free crack-smoking kits, in the way
that they now hand out hypodermic needles. Controlling where drugs are
used may have some public health benefits but it's difficult to
support a plan that enables drug addicts. As well, taxpayers could
rightfully argue about the folly of spending their hard-earned money
on injection sites and crack pipes.

This city has a gun problem that feeds off a drug problem.

The last thing we need are more places for addicts to do drugs, let
alone a city-sanctioned site.

Ward 2 Councillor Rob Ford (Etobicoke North) described his own
family's difficulties with drug abuse as he voiced his opposition to
the plan. He said creating injection houses would simply open the
neighbourhood up to "gun-toting bandits" as well as prostitution and
petty crime.

As well, Ford surmised the sites would only make it easier for addicts
who had bottomed out to continue their addiction rather than seek treatment.

What's important to note is that the proposal for the sites is just
that - a proposal. "If we do this, the city, the provincial
government, the federal government and the police all have to agree to
it," Ward 27 Councillor Kyle Rae (Toronto Centre-Rosedale) said. "I
think the fear-mongering is inappropriate - there are a lot of hurdles
to go through."

He's right, now is not the time for fear mongering. However, it is the
perfect time for common sense and common sense tells us we don't need
safe havens to encourage drug addiction.