Dear editor,
I read Olivier Laurin’s Feb. 14 article “Rebuttal:…”; then reread McDowell’s Feb. 7 article “Opinion:”; then reread them both. I also read “Laurin’s article “This will save lives.”
I note that synonyms for opinion include; belief, conviction, persuasion, sentiment, and/or view; and in my experience, Mr. McDowell’s opinion is what my vote subscribes to. This can has been kicked around for years, and all the studies in the world won’t justify the same wretched soul being picked off the pavement two or three times a day to save his or her life from the self-abuse they don’t seem to be able to stop… and a sympathetic listening to isn’t enough.
The more we “normalize” acceptance of this state of existence (it’s not living), the more people will drift into the driftnet and get caught… and of course some will get saved, but many more won’t… and the teary-eyed stories of the salvaged won’t offset the ever-increasing numbers of victims who will spend a life and death in servitude to the drugs.
We need to stop enabling, supporting, and apologizing for them. They are victims of our actions or inactions, and now we will make it worse.
Lorne Chernochan
Courtenay