NEEDLE EXCHANGE OFFERS FALSE HOPE

Re: "Harper pours cold water on injection-site plans," July 10.

It is quite clear Prime Minister Stephen Harper is not prepared to
aid Victoria's foolhardy plan to enable addicts to stay stuck in
their addictions.

The weird science of so-called "harm reduction," effectively provides
little more than false hope for those addicts needful of, and ready
to undertake, real abstinence-based addiction treatment.

It is long past time the city shut down the problematic needle
exchange on Cormorant Street, which does far more harm than good. The
lawsuit by neighbours to effect that end is an encouraging development.

It's time for city council to get real and work with the Vancouver
Island Health Authority, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of
Income Assistance to open a least a dozen small- and medium-scale
residential treatment houses in the most affected neighbourhoods.

I would be pleased to see such a facility in my neighbourhood, which
I share with the mayor, and which is now constantly subject to
break-ins and burglaries.

Gregory Hartnell,

Victoria.