HEARTLESS POLITICIANS-A CITY in CRISES

Underbelly News
Downtown Eastside

HEARTLESS POLITICIANS-A CITY in CRISES

It was incredulous to read yesterday that Mr. Larry Campbell is claiming that the crystal meth problem in Vancouver is fabricated hysteria.

I could not believe that an actual Senator could be that mis-informed. Mr. Campbell likes to think he's an authority on drugs because he worked for the RCMP in the 80's. But that was then and today is now. Things are way different today. It has become increasingly clear though that Mr. Campbell and his political mentor Jim Green, are out of touch with the realities in this City. Is it any wonder that Mr. Campbell when he applied for the Chief of Police position didn't make the grade.

Make no mistake Crystal Meth Use is a Menace and no backwater thinking on the part of ill-informed politicians will change this Fact.

Crystal Meth Use has skyrocketed in this City. More and more citizens are engaging in this drug as a matter of choice. Its not only Downtown Eastsiders but the young students who attend schools in the Suburbs who are participating in this activity. Crystal is easier to obtain, fast to market, way cheaper for the purchaser and according to users much more mentally stimulating than crack.

Young people are having their lives destroyed as a result of Crystal Meth also called Jib on the street. And the top politician in the City recklessly says there is hysteria surrounding its re-entry into the Vancouver Drug market. Boy oh Boy how dumb is that?

Facts. OK here we go. Just walk around Carnegie Centre in the back alleys and you will witness Crystal Meth addicts lighting up in the dark doorways. HIV and AIDS rates are soaring within the aboriginal and women's population. These rates are soaring because of Crystal Meth (Jib). Sadly, Women are acquiring HIV at alarming rates. Our HIV/AIDS rates according to the Canadian Medial Journal equal those rates found in third world countries such as South Africa and Botswana.

Hepatitis C from sharing Pipes used to inhale Jib is out of control. Rates in Vancouver are twice the national average and that is a cold hard fact. The associated costs for future treatment of HEP C, HIV and AIDS is going to cost us big time.

Even the Injection site that Mr. Campbell wrongfully touts as his Legacy, claims that users are accessing the project on average 4 times per month. This is concerning since we know the majority of drug addicted individuals do drugs on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis. I've walked the streets and spoken to many addicts and they inform me that they do NOT use the Injection site because they are inhaling Crystal and therefore the Injection site is of no use for them. In fact, Female Sex Workers and Transgendered Sex Workers who are drug addicted are Not using the Site at all.

The notion that the facts surrounding Crystal Meth is Fabricated Hysteria goes far beyond what a reasonable, responsible individual would deduce. It goes right to the root of the problem and complete disregard of a City in Crises. This demonstrates loud and clear how HEARTLESS POLITICIANS are contributing to the ruination of our City.

Its time to put some HEART back into Vancouver.

Jamie Lee Hamilton
tricia_foxx@yahoo.com