ALCOHOL IS THE WORST DRUG ON THE STREET

The Editor,

Alcohol and cigarettes are a far more costly problem for taxpayers than
heroin will ever be. But that seems to be acceptable because the government
is making a lot of money off the backs of these sick people. Gordon
Campbell is a prime example and but for the grace of God no one was killed
or maimed by him the night he was out drinking and endangering the lives of
himself and others! He should be ashamed of himself and step down, receive
a fine, have his licence suspended, have a criminal record and do community
hours like the rest of us who commit a criminal offence.

The syringe exchange in Whalley works hand in hand with the medical clinic,
HIV/AIDS program and the Front Room of South Fraser Community Services
Society to help people because they are ill with a disease that they cannot
fix by themselves. They also make referrals to many other drug and alcohol
programs. Please don't re-locate it as it is needed exactly where it is now.

The Flamingo and Dell hotels as well as beer stores and liquor stores in
Surrey are within a block of the exchange. Alcohol is also a drug and
certainly causes more grief and makes more mess than any other drug out
there. More crime is committed, more people are maimed and killed and more
families are ruined because of alcohol than any other drug.

I think a supervised cleanup crew should be dispatched in the Whalley area
every day to pick up the litter, liquor bottles and food wrappers, as well
as the odd syringe, perhaps using a labour force consisting of convicted
impaired drivers, drug dealers, etc., as a mandatory part of their
sentencing. It would be a lot cheaper and would serve the area a lot better
than what Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum proposes. Has he no imagination?

Using all the money saved by stopping all McCallum's other useless projects
and free labour for neighbourhood clean-up, McCallum could put all his
effort into opening up a much needed detox, rehabilitation facility, and
more drug and alcohol programs so people don't have to go on a long waiting
list in Surrey. This would generate good press and would actually help the
problem that was in Whalley long before the syringe exchange opened.
Hopefully McCallum would include his councillors in his plans so they could
help to guide him and keep him from going off half-cocked again.

I also think McCallum should take a drug and alcohol course to help educate
him as to the plight of the sometimes "homeless, addicted and mentally
challenged" people on the streets who he has referred to as "undesirable"
so he could learn to be more compassionate toward others and be less
judgmental to those less fortunate than himself.

I write this letter based on my own experiences with all of the
above-mentioned addictions. I am clean and sober today because of all the
help that places like South Fraser Community Services Society so freely
gives to those in need. I applaud the staff of all shelters, drop-in
centers, street health outreach programs, needle exchange programs,
detoxes, rehab centers, counsellors and doctors who help us overcome or
manage our disease of addiction without judgment. C'mon Surrey ... Get with
the program!

John Oman

Delta