GIVE DRUG ADDICTS CHANCE TO CLEAN UP

Sherwood Park News - Re: Paige Megley's March 17 letter

Educate, don't propagate.

No matter what we do, drugs are here to stay. Prostitution is illegal,
but there are no signs of a slowdown in that market.

Cracking down on drug dealers does not seem to be working; besides,
the fewer drug dealers there are, the more lucrative a business it
becomes, attracting even more dealers.

Let's think outside the box for a minute. We want to help youth make
the right choices to keep healthy and safe.

The war on drugs has been waged for years, and drug use has remained
relatively stable. Let's try something new.

For some kids, education about the negative effects of drugs seems to
be enough to keep them away. For others, this isn't the case. Adding
more negative effects like school lockdowns, jail time, and social
consequences likely won't work for these kids, either.

This means there are some people, young and old, who will continue to
use drugs, regardless of what we say. The only thing we can do for
these people is make sure they are experimenting safely, without
harming others.

Harm reduction seminars with tips on how to ensure drug purity,
prevent overdose, addiction, and disease, along with needle handouts,
and education about the pros and cons of experimenting would serve
this purpose well. Job-find services will help provide work to those
who otherwise may steal to feed their addictions, and addiction rehab
services for those who truly want to kick the habit should be easily
available.

Harm reduction lets experimenters know that we want the best for them,
and are there for them if they get into a bind. It also discourages
stealing and other immoral behaviour.

Let's give these people a chance before we condemn them to jail; after
all, they cost us more behind bars then they do if we let them work
for themselves.

Jamie J. Czerwinski

Sherwood Park