CITY'S DRUG WOES CALL FOR DISCUSSION

Public discussion on the best way to cope with drug-addicted citizens
does not mean controversial proposals will automatically be approved.

Community dialogue is healthy, providing it can be carried out without
anger. Unfortunately, many people allow fear and ignorance of a topic
to enter into the debate, which does not contribute toward seeking out
the best solution to a problem

A proposal from former Vancouver mayor Philip Owen and Kamloops Mayor
Mel Rothenburger that this city engage in a discussion about harm
reduction, including safe injection sites, for addicts is almost
certain to get an angry reaction from some people.

These folks are generally law-abiding, healthy people who don't know
much about drug addictions, nor do they want to. They believe addicts
are criminals who should be locked up and that safe injection sites
are stupid ideas that aid and abet addicts in their self-destructive
search for a high.

As both mayors said, safe injection sites may not be the answer for
Kamloops, but they are part of the discussion on ways to make a city
safer from the crime that arises from drug addiction. The idea is to
get the addicts off the street and away from the mainstream people who
want to feel safe on those streets.

The easy solution for some, including most police officers, is to jail
addicts who commit crimes. They disregard the argument that addiction
is a disease that can be managed if it's treated properly with
adequate rehabilitation resources.

It's tough to feel sorry for a drug addict who breaks into people's
cars and houses or becomes violent from the side effects of an illegal
drug. In fact, there is no need to feel sympathy for these sad people.

There is, however, a desperate need for healthy citizens to empathize
with the problem and be interested in finding solutions that will help
not just the addict, but the community as a whole.

People don't intend to become drug addicts. They make the mistake of
using a drug in the first place. The majority of those who experiment
with an illegal substance do not become addicted. However, a certain
percentage are lost to the drug.

Some are able to fight off the addiction, usually when their life
circumstances becomes so terrible they feel they can't go any lower.
Others are never able to win the battle no matter how bad their life
gets. A few never bother to try, and most addicts die young.

Addiction is an individual tragedy and a societal tragedy. What's
happening now, which is a reliance on the justice system to solve what
is essentially a health issue, is not working.

Police officers who call for more jail time for addicts may have the
answer. Lock them up forever and they won't be on the streets. People
who suggest more resources to counsel and house addicts may be right.
Safe injection sites to simply control the addicts may also be right.

It's not an easy solution. It's not the same solution for every city.
In truth, it's an elusive solution. No one has an absolute answer, but
as the problem gets bigger, all cities have a responsibility to look
for the best way to cope. That responsibility must begin with a
discussion of all possible avenues, including the controversial ones.