OUTLYING AREAS SHOULD CARE FOR THEIR OWN ADDICTS

The Sun is contributing to a misperception by continuing to refer to
supervised injection sites as "safe injection sites" (Safe drug sites won't
fly in Surrey, politicians say, Dec. 30). The use of the term "supervised"
makes clear that some agency has taken responsibility for the operation of
the site. That is to say, taken responsibility for the welfare of our
children by rejecting the NIMBY mentality that appears to plague our suburbs.

There is, of course, nothing "safe" about injecting toxic substances into
one's body.

For the 47 per cent of poll respondents outside Vancouver who oppose the
implementation of supervised injection sites in their neighbourhoods, I
have one question: Just where do you think these drug users come from?

The streets of the Downtown Eastside are populated with children from
Surrey, Tri-Cities, Delta, Richmond, Haney, Chilliwack, you name it. They
are your responsibility as much as anyone else's and the sooner you realize
this, the better off we all will be.

Bill McMichael

Renfrew Collingwood Drug and Alcohol Committee

Vancouver