Response to President’s Letter

Thank you Ms Landolt for your interview on the radio and your article
in today’s National Post. As a resident of downtown Toronto I have
been involved in arguing against The Toronto Drug Strategy and a safe
use site in Toronto for all of the reasons you mentioned today! Most
people in the general public do not understand that the drugs are
still purchased on the street and that there are no questions asked
when a user presents themselves at a safe use site, consequently these
facilities only enable drug use. The other galling fact is that many
of the people who are there to help in the administering of the drugs
have been or still are users themselves providing a blind leading the
blind scenario. Here in Toronto we have offices set up in the city
which will hand out drug paraphernalia to anyone, no questions asked
under the guise of needle exchange programs. Let me be clear there is
no needle exchange taking place, consequently, these used needles,
crack pipes and condoms find there way into our parks, schoolyards and
back lane ways. As ordinary citizens we have been powerless to get the
city to pick up this mess or to take responsibility for it! You were
also right to point out that most of the studies that have been
released in support of Harm Reduction programs do not follow a true 4
pillar approach nor are Abstinance based organizations involved in the
studies, therefore skewing the results to more harm reduction
programs. Thank you for your work!
Maureen Gilroy