Drastic times call for drastic – and sometimes sarcastic – measures.
North Cowichan Councillors Tek Manhas and Bruce Findlay setting up in front of Island Health’s Overdose Prevention site on York Road in the municipality was a brilliant way to get a perplexing message across. And that is: you can openly use a certain amount of hard drugs, but can’t consume a beer in a public space.
Manhas and Findlay are absolutely right about the ridiculousness of this scenario.
The chief corner of B.C. and many other high-ranking officials are continually hammering the point home that legalizing a certain amount of drugs and also giving addicts a so-called safe supply is going to remedy the toxic drug situation.
Manhas and Findlay and many others from a silent majority, who are becoming more vocal since the change came into effect, are here to say that’s the wrong approach.
This may fall outside the jurisdiction of the municipality, unfortunately, but it’s worth pursuing to have the voices of reason heard from prominent citizens.
Despite what some may think, there is no solution to the problem that taking even the most minimal amount of drugs will solve.
If anyone has ever followed the brilliant reporting of Sam Cooper and/or read his book Wilful Blindness, it will tell you all you need to know about the toxic drug crisis and other matters pertaining to high level crime. It’s a lost cause.
The only way to overcome the increasing number of people dying from taking drugs is treatment. Controlling the manufacture and import of drugs is a multi-billion dollar business for the criminal element.
The sooner we all realize getting people off drugs is the only answer, the better. It’s not going to be easy, but this mindset of keeping addicts on drugs and somehow controlling it is going to help them boggles the mind.
Drugs are more powerful and addicting than ever before. Many highly-respected people are getting caught up in it and not just the homeless. If people like Manhas and Findlay must go to extremes to question what’s happening, then it might all be worthwhile in the end if it evokes change.
@chemainusnews
don.bodger@chemainusvalleycourier.ca
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.