It’s time to quit blaming addicts for the city’s problems
By Letter to the Editor on October 7, 2021.
Editor:
The city of Lethbridge is in turmoil – the opioid crisis has taken its toll on many people, especially the addicts. Instead of being divided, I ask you to unite.
We need a large support system. This is a big issue. Band aid solutions will not solve the problem. In fact, it just infects an already burdened situation.
There is a flood of hurt out there and we place our first responders on the shoreline asking them to ease the flow. Instead of giving them sandbags to build up the shoreline, we instead use them as the sandbags. Asking them to take on the hurt.
I am sorry for the trauma, damage and heartache you must all endure. My thanks to you for your efforts and to your families for taking care of you.
To all of our citizens sick of property crime, I say please lock your stuff up. Most property crime is done by a select few. Believe me, you would rather lose a bike than a daughter like I have.
Quit blaming the addicts, they only hurt themselves. Instead, place the blame squarely on those who fund the making of these drugs. Trust me, addiction can happen to any family at any time.
To the Mayoral candidates, this should be your top priority.
I have some ideas on how to make this city better. But, I urge you all to talk to the addicts, the soup kitchen workers, first responders, families of addicts, we all have a voice. Mine will advocate for those who cannot speak for themselves. People say an addict has to make the choice to get better themselves, but there also has to be an immediate choice available, as in a place for them to go once the choice has been made.
So, I urge you to listen, listen, listen to those suffering the most.
Yours in sorrow,
Lorraine Visser
Lethbridge
-1
The addicts are brain dead. You can’t talk to them, you cannot reason with them. They must be physically removed from the city.
Again, there is the age old thing with looking to the jurisdictions who have had the greatest success with dealing with drug/opiate addiction. It’s not perfect, but Portugal is one of them. They have decriminalized the possession of drugs, along, with, readily available treatment programs. Addiction is also considered to be a medical condition, not a criminal one…. although, there is a certain amount of criminal activity intertwined here with drug addiction, including possession and dealing. It could be said that less criminal drug activity by looking to those who have successfully dealt with it would be highly desirable., instead of the ongoing complaining and whinging.
This city has a host of problems as I’m sure all cities have and I’m not going to put all the blame on the drug problem and the addicts it has created but it is an issue that needs work, a lot of work. The former SCS didn’t help matters as much as some people seem to think. The way it was setup and run is not a mistake we need to repeat. All it did was to centralize the problems into one area without adequate enforcement and security. I’m open to a new SCS but not at the expense of the the citizens, business owners and employees adjacent to it.
You say not to blame the addicts as the only ones they hurt are themselves, sorry but that’s not true. I used to live in the London Road area next to downtown and the theft and property damage is one thing but the needles are entirely another matter. A family member stepped on one and the emergency room visit as well as the time spent wondering whether you’re going to get hepatitis or worse was traumatic to say the least.
Does anyone have a solution? I doubt it but we need to keep working on it. Throwing them in jail is not a solution as much as tolerating it is either. Addicts are not blameless either. I want to help them as much as we can but sooner or later everyone has to take responsibility for decisions that they’ve made.
The author said: “To all of our citizens sick of property crime, I say please lock your stuff up.”.
Alas, the disheartening position of victim blaming.
Hey rape victims, it’s your fault for getting raped because you were dressed for what is in my opinion, provocatively. You wore a skirt that went above your knees? Well then it’s your fault for getting raped.
The author also seems oblivious to the fact that any lock is only a mild deterrent. They’re using bolt and lock cutters now.
I see I am now being censored by this paper. I will stop my subscription today.
All on-line “comments” have policies concerning offensive language, racist insults, ad hominem attack etc.. Perhaps this comment was deemed inappropriate.
I do wish the Herald censored those annoying “comments” concerning obvious scams promising thousands of dollars to naive believers.
agree
Perhaps it is temporary? Perhaps a politician threatened to sue? Is it a case of some of them can sure dish it out but they can’t take it?