SUPPLYING PIPES NOT THE ANSWER

Editor:

It is unbelievable that any medical health officer for the Vancouver
Island Health Authority would condone and encourage crack pipe use
throughout Vancouver Island and at needle exchanges, which would
include Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River and Courtenay, plus mobile
needle exchange units running in most Island communities.

Now there are going to be attachments supplied to these pipes in the
new year to cut down the spread of Hepatitis C infections --more of
taxpayers' dollars going down the sink, when an alternative could be
introduced.

As stated in the Vancouver Sun article, crack cocaine is a highly
addictive, relatively cheap and prevalent street drug used across
Canada. It can be heated and smoked through a pipe. Cocaine can also
be injected and sniffed. Why, oh why, would anyone encourage addicts
to continue the use of addictive drugs? The only way they could be
obtained, would be through selling articles stolen after breaking and
entering, theft and muggings, etc. and purchased from dealers, making
the addicts, criminals.

To condone or supply the use of these crack pipes plus attachments
would be a most expensive undertaking over a long period, presumably,
at the taxpayers' expense, all to prevent a few cases of Hepatitis C
infections.

If this disease is estimated to cost the Canadian health-care system
up to $1 billion a year, this money could be used more wisely in
treating these drug addicts in a residential detoxification
rehabilitation centre, where they can be educated and taught trades,
while being treated, then returned to society as contributing healthy
citizens, instead of living a permanent hell, without any hope for the
future.

Cocaine especially, according to Australian 2006 research results,
prevents the up-take of the necessary precursors, dopamine and
serotonin which stimulate the neuro-transmitters in the brain and it
will take from four to nine months for the brain to recover its normal
function after the drug has been withdrawn. The tunnel vision
regarding the correct treatment of drug addicts needs revision, more
attention and understanding. It could take from two to three years to
fully rehabilitate a drug addict after treatment.

What has been done to eradicate drugs from Vancouver Island, prosecute
dealers and detoxify these sick addicts whose disease is seaping
through the society?

Mary Hartman,

Chilliwack