primroseburrows | he grew a beard as soon as he could to cover the scars on his face, and always urged his men on (Reply)

I was so impressed with this that I printed it out at work and showed it to the staff. Some were less impressed than I was, but for the most part the response was "that's a really, really good idea", with the added caveat of "not that it would ever be even close to legal here".

They're right, of course. But really, which is better? spending zillions chasing after drug dealers/makers/users/ and only catching a tiny fraction of them (and hello, going after users isn't going to make them stop using, y'know?), or using the money wisely and providing users with a safe place to use with clean needles and medical supervision? Which scenario is more likely to make addicts think that the system might be a place to go to for help?

And there's PROOF it works:

"The study...found that drug users who visited the site at least once a week were more willing to enter detoxification programs". Makes a whole lot of sense to me. There are health professionals on site. Willing to help and not judge, y'know? And you really can catch more flies with honey than you can with prison.

"The researchers also found that all users in the area, including those with HIV, have been sharing syringes less since the start of the injection site, which is the first of its kind in North America. They have also engaged in other safe injection practices like using sterile water to formulate their drugs and swabbing alcohol on their skin.

Users were less likely to overdose when they used the facility at least once a week, the study found."

The way I look at it is that if you want to to help addicts (or more important, get them to want help), it's not gonna happen if you're judgemental and persecutory. How about being supportive and nurturing, treating them like people with illnesses, which, um, is what they are (HUGE emphasis on "people", here)?

So anyway, go Vancouver. Maybe some of our people will take the example and start pushing for similar facilities in the States. I hope the site gets the funding it deserves. Things don't look too rosy right now, according to the article, anyway. The federal government seems to have its head up its arse and is refusing to provide the funding that would keep the site open past the end of next year. Yay for craniorectal inversion.

From everything I've been reading, I'm quickly reaching the opinion that Stephen Harper is a creep. Dubya probably likes him. At least he probably knows his name, which if true would be novel for him (I'd really like to meet PM Poutine. We could do lunch. Although his cholesterol level is probably through the roof). Oh, and, another thing: if I ever get the chance to meet Rick Mercer I might just snog him senseless. :)

In other news, here's my Repeat Loop Song of the Moment:

Dispatch - The General. Lyrics here.

I love this song: its acoustic-y goodness, the extra words shoved into lines that they really don't fit but somehow they work, and the perfect, perfect lyrics, and perfect, oh-so-very-right theme of soldiers (and their general) as people. Because, um. They are, y0.

Oh, and the Best. Chorus. Ever.:

He said: I have seen the others
And I have discovered
That this fight is not worth fighting
And I have seen their mothers
And I will no other to follow me where I'm going

So,

Take a shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young and you must be living so
Take a shower, shine your shoes
You got no time to lose
You are young and you must be living
Go now you are forgiven

i_am_a_hannah introduced me to this song. I adore it. And her, of course. *hugs her*

And now I have writing to finish. I'll most likely be up forever doing it, so expect random spams. Feel free to ignore them.

And send me Vecchio drabbles. I'm running against a deadline and need to stay in the Gestalt of Vecchio.