TOLERATED EPIDEMIC

Re: "Off the crack pipes" (July 12). I'm willing to bet Dr. David
Salisbury, the city's medical officer of health, lives in an area
where there aren't crack users in his front lawn. Would his
neighbourhood tolerate discarded needles and condoms? The crack pipe
program is not preventing disease when needles are found discarded on
our streets and parks by innocent children.

It's not the taxpayers' problem if people get HIV from their careless
drug use. It is a risk they take and it should not be a tolerated
epidemic on our city streets. These people have not been left out by
society, they made the choices to live the life they have. I am
certainly not going to encourage their lifestyle. There are many
avenues they can take to get a better life. I just prefer it's not
one near my house.

Mitch Desormeaux

Ottawa

(Getting help for drug addiction is not always easy)