COMPARISON TO CROOKS NOT FAIR

The Editor,

While I sympathize with Saskatchewan's lack of doctors and nurses, I don't
see how this is B.C.'s fault.

B.C. is using their own nurses for this safe-injection site, they aren't
taking your nurses away.

The spread of IV drug related diseases (namely HIV and HCV) is costing the
health care system far more than $2 million per year. While controversial,
this is preventative medicine.

Heroin is legal in Canada under certain circumstances, and the injection
sites are not supplying it, only providing facilities to use the drug as
safely as possible.

Personally I feel such sites should be available for all drug use.

It is far better to have people injecting these drugs in a regulated
environment than in a back alley. Cocaine is also a popular IV drug.

Your comparison of drug addicts to "crooks" isn't exactly fair as it has
been proven time and time again that a significant number of addicts would
be able to live normal productive lives if their drug of choice was not
illegal.

A heroin problem should be treated no different than an alcohol problem.

Derek Snider Toronto