electricland

It amazes me how some people can be so blind to reality. And best of all, how they can sound sanctimonious in the process.

The argument that safe injection sites will prevent disease transmission is "utterly phony," [US 'drug czar' John] Walters told UPI. It rests on the notion that certain drug users cannot be helped with treatment and recovery and is akin to suggesting some people's lives are not worth saving, he argued.

"I think it's outrageous to say that there's a certain category of people who are unworthy of the kind of care that we can offer," Walters added. "I don't' believe that Americans subscribe to it and I don't think we (at ONDCP) should."

The best way to restrict needle-sharing and to "stop sero-conversion (to HIV-positive status) is to get people into recovery," Walters said. If addicts are not shooting up, they will not be spreading disease, he added.

- U.S., Canada spar over anti-drug policies, United Press International

Yahoo News: Vancouver Opens Safe-Injection Site for Addicts
Globe and Mail: Vancouver injection clinic opens for addicts

So basically what he's saying is, the only possible strategy for helping addicts who are living on the street in the poorest district in Canada is to get them all into rehab immediately, and then everything will be hunky-dory. No wonder the US drug strategy is such a mess. Maybe this safe-injection site will work, maybe it will be a horrible disaster. Do you think if it weren't there, these people would be walking into rehab clinics? It hasn't happened yet to my knowledge. At least Vancouver's trying something that might work.

[ETA: The stupidity doesn't stop at the border... I might have known the Alliance would have something to say.

The pilot project represents the wrong approach to combating addiction, said Canadian Alliance MP Randy White.

"The priority to get people off drugs, not keep people on drugs," said White. "Every cent we spend away from that objective is money wasted."

- CTV/CP, Vancouver safe-injection site opens to cheers

It's true, letting them die off would get them off drugs.]