Page 4 EXPRESS December13,2000 opinion EXPRESS PHONE: (250) 354-3910 EDITORIAL 354-1118 FAX 352-5075 554 WARD STREET, NELSON, B.C. VIL IS9 E-MAIL: express@expressnews.bc.ca OFFICE HOURS: Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Jail no answer for drug problems We need to decriminalize all illicit drugs. We need to do that because it is the only way to reduce drug usage. Taking drugs for non-med- ical purposes is a health problem and until we tackle the problem on that level, we will never get anywhere. Discussion is talcing place now in Vancouver on how to deal with some of this province's drug addicts. There is a proposal to designate safe shooting zones. On the table is also a proposal for legal heroin. New approaches are necessary if we are ever going to solve this scourge of addiction. There are many types of drugs and drug addic- tion in our society. Some drugs, for some people, are a major contributing factor in repeated violent behaviour. How can we let these people out on the streets? If we catch them, we put them into jail. They still The Editor's Mailbag have access to drugs and they still are violent. And then we let them back out on the streets. You're getting a bad rep, Nelson The cost, both in dollars and human dignity, is Dear Editor: home on those days. We are Canadians are very much hate dogs.) immense. My sister in Nelson told dog lovers here and we take needing exercise. Some are My sister will come from Years ago, we would have put many of these me the sad news that now our dog always with ·us, very fat. A dog will help Nelson with her dog, and people into mental hospitals and even given them dogs can maybe not even even in the stores and with exercise. Did you we will stay in tyhe Rockies shock treatment and heavy tranquilizers. run on your soccer field. So restaurants. know that many people on only. We will miss the beau- We may have done immoral experiments on I want to tell you how this When we saw your no the Nelson streets look tiful shops in Nelson. them. Today, we let them out on the streets with affects us here in Holland. dogs allowed painted on more dangerous than dogs. But last time in Ban.ff the little emotional or medical help. Two years ago we visited your streets we laughed Those people look more stores let my sister's dog There are many possible avenues that we could Nelson and the Rockies. We because at first we thought like wild animals than the come inside. take toward a heathier society. The following is enjoyed your city very nobody would be so silly. dogs do. People also make And at the restaurants something to be considered. much, especially some of But my sister said you are more garbage than dogs. they even brought a bowl of the beautiful art you have in serious. We took a video When we come next time water for her dog. The peo- What we need may be a new type of institution your stores, and the restau- and pictures of this because to visit Canada we will fly ple in Banff like tourists. for violent addicts, a place where imprisonment is rants. nobody here can believe to Calgary. I hope the people of combined with free access to any of the drugs But one thing we did not such a thing. We will bring my daugh- Nelson will soon learn that these people are addicted to. like. My sister told us that Now here in Uithuizen ter and her husband and dogs are an asset in your The most violent addict-offenders would be her dog could not come Nelson is known as the city they will not be able to see lives, not a bad thing. kept here, under terms that would last until they with us on the shopping who has people who hate my sister's home. (They Ina Kleismit free themselves of their habits. If an addict makes streets and also in the park. dogs. love dogs and they don't Uithhuizen, Holland a choice to get clean, help would be available, We had to leave the dog Did you know that many want to go where people and freedom would become a possibility. An inmate who has committed grievous violence before incarceration would still have to answer Andthe worst of all things... for his crime after he throws off his drug habit. Is this more cruel than our present policy of incar- Dear Editor, control law, the stupidest law on the face of the earth. He ceration? Is society more safe because of prison As badly disappointed as I am by this landslide victory will make criminals of hundreds of responsible gun owners sententences? of Chretien, the worst thing to happen was the reelection of and will cost the country hundreds of millions of dollars. Is the violent addict better off on the streets? Alan Rock. I am also disappointed by the election of Preston Society must balance the human rights of all of Now that he has seen how we people in the west feel, he Manning and Stockwell Day. Religion and politics should us. will kill any chances of help for our ailing health care sys- not be mixed. Those two people scared a great many voters We have a right to live in a non-violent society. tem. and lost many seats. We know that our hospital is in dire need of replacement Jack Bedford No solution is perfect. but he will steadfastly refuse to allocate funds to help us. Nelson This is the same person who pushed through the gun EDITOR and PUBLISHER: Nelson Becker PRODUCTION: Julie Swenson ADVERTISING: Sharon Butler Letters to the Editor guidelines: DISTRIBUTION: Eugene Schmunk We encourage our readers to write to us. Letters are a require some research, and should offer new information as ADMINISTRATION: Rose Berge way for you to speak to your community, to give new infor- well as an opinion. 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