DRUG ABUSE CAUSING DECAY IN OUR CITIES

All of the parties and both senior levels of government talk about
how they are creating programs and adding resources to deal with our
societal issues related to addiction. Unfortunately, this is never
followed up with a serious commitment or action.

What happened to our provincial government's initial commitment to
create safe streets and communities and a healthy society? In
downtown Victoria and the Downtown Eastside of Vancouver we see the
decay caused by drug dealers and addiction.

Unless a person has megadollars there are no easily accessible
treatment facilities.

I had to detox my adult child at our house because there were no
publicly funded beds available when he was ready to clean up. Is a
parent equipped or educated to deal with such a situation? I think not.

It is time for our governments to provide the resources and personnel
to clean up our streets and to make a real commitment to tackle this
health-care and crime issue.

The money that is being diverted to the Olympics may leave a legacy,
but what good is this legacy if crime continues to soar and people
continue to die as a result of governments not seriously committing
to a program of prevention, enforcement, rehabilitation and treatment?

Brian Belcher,

Victoria.