Evidence based knowledge tells us that highly addictive substances are potentially fatal with even just one hit. Fundamental shift from the one dimensional approach of harm reduction is necessary if we want to save lives, and the time is now to implement more responsible policies.
Just an observation, but you are aware that you don't publish balanced news on addiction and drugs? You write reactive and self-righteous essays in which you launch aggressive and personal attacks on individuals or groups, criticising and insulting their every action or word. It's always personal, bitter and vengeful. Why is that?
The situation in BC is heartbreaking, it's atrocious and it's unacceptable - ABSOLUTELY. Did systems fail? Without a doubt! Is someone to blame? For sure! Every last person involved in that sector, every person in every dept from the streets, to the churches, medical practitioners, harm reductionists, law enforcement, government and every other person between - everybody failed and now you're all in the shit soup. It's not a harm reduction issue. It's not a government issue, it's a human issue - community issue.
Standing on your soap box and orchestrating the witch hunt isn't making a difference. You can burn every last witch and have your moment, your 15minutes of "You were warned". And then? When you step down from that ridiculous box all those mothers' children will still be gone. All the kids who lost their parents will still grow up haunted by the horror of discovering mommy's cold body;
Sometimes we need to ask ourselves - what is the objective? What am I hoping to achieve? Are my actions aligned with the end goal?
You are not helping anyone. You are not effecting or contributing to any change.
You are only adding fuel to a mindless pyre.
"one can’t help but lament the missed opportunity for the event’s organizers and detractors to come together to find common ground on sensible drug policy."
The world needs a dedicated font for sarcasm, right?
The harm reductionists aren't to blame for addiction. Drug dealers aren't to blame for addiction. Doctors aren't to blame..... You can't possibly believe that eliminating a particular demographic will solve the problem?
Rehabilitation can't necessarily solve the problem.
Have you ever had a conversation, a dialogue, sincere exchange of ideas with a person who lives with addiction?
I'm not talking about someone who is dependent. Addiction is complex. It is unique to each addicted person. Regardless of the substance or behaviour, each person experiences addiction differently. There is only 1 thing that is universal - the drug / drink / behaviour serves a fundamental purpose.
That purpose is never superficial.
If you want to make a difference, start there. Start with the people who need help. Get your own hands dirty and stop gunning for those who are actually in there, knee deep, trying to keep someone's child, or some child's parent alive, just for today.
Get out there and help broken people find their missing pieces so that they don't need drugs to fill the gaps. If you'd prefer to stay on your silly soap box, rather shut the fuck up. You're hurting people who are already down
Just to be clear, the Moms did not picket. We stood around talking to media.. We were trying to get in to the symposium as we had bought tickets. You characterize us as radicals. Our radical idea is to support people who use drugs to keep them alive.
The secret recordings from the VANDU meetings on May 21 and 28 captured discussions wherein activists: (1) clearly describing working with MSTH and you specifically, Leslie; (2) the activists said that the plan was for you and the other moms to disrupt the talks and shout at speakers; and (3) the activists discussed filming you and the other moms disrupting PROSPER to create "embarrassing" footage of Kevin Falcon and John Rustad.
Your plan was publicly exposed hours before it was supposed to be executed, which is why you were barred from the event and had to simply stand around and talk to media.
Evidence based knowledge tells us that highly addictive substances are potentially fatal with even just one hit. Fundamental shift from the one dimensional approach of harm reduction is necessary if we want to save lives, and the time is now to implement more responsible policies.
Just an observation, but you are aware that you don't publish balanced news on addiction and drugs? You write reactive and self-righteous essays in which you launch aggressive and personal attacks on individuals or groups, criticising and insulting their every action or word. It's always personal, bitter and vengeful. Why is that?
The situation in BC is heartbreaking, it's atrocious and it's unacceptable - ABSOLUTELY. Did systems fail? Without a doubt! Is someone to blame? For sure! Every last person involved in that sector, every person in every dept from the streets, to the churches, medical practitioners, harm reductionists, law enforcement, government and every other person between - everybody failed and now you're all in the shit soup. It's not a harm reduction issue. It's not a government issue, it's a human issue - community issue.
Standing on your soap box and orchestrating the witch hunt isn't making a difference. You can burn every last witch and have your moment, your 15minutes of "You were warned". And then? When you step down from that ridiculous box all those mothers' children will still be gone. All the kids who lost their parents will still grow up haunted by the horror of discovering mommy's cold body;
Sometimes we need to ask ourselves - what is the objective? What am I hoping to achieve? Are my actions aligned with the end goal?
You are not helping anyone. You are not effecting or contributing to any change.
You are only adding fuel to a mindless pyre.
"one can’t help but lament the missed opportunity for the event’s organizers and detractors to come together to find common ground on sensible drug policy."
The world needs a dedicated font for sarcasm, right?
The harm reductionists aren't to blame for addiction. Drug dealers aren't to blame for addiction. Doctors aren't to blame..... You can't possibly believe that eliminating a particular demographic will solve the problem?
Rehabilitation can't necessarily solve the problem.
Have you ever had a conversation, a dialogue, sincere exchange of ideas with a person who lives with addiction?
I'm not talking about someone who is dependent. Addiction is complex. It is unique to each addicted person. Regardless of the substance or behaviour, each person experiences addiction differently. There is only 1 thing that is universal - the drug / drink / behaviour serves a fundamental purpose.
That purpose is never superficial.
If you want to make a difference, start there. Start with the people who need help. Get your own hands dirty and stop gunning for those who are actually in there, knee deep, trying to keep someone's child, or some child's parent alive, just for today.
Get out there and help broken people find their missing pieces so that they don't need drugs to fill the gaps. If you'd prefer to stay on your silly soap box, rather shut the fuck up. You're hurting people who are already down
Just to be clear, the Moms did not picket. We stood around talking to media.. We were trying to get in to the symposium as we had bought tickets. You characterize us as radicals. Our radical idea is to support people who use drugs to keep them alive.
The secret recordings from the VANDU meetings on May 21 and 28 captured discussions wherein activists: (1) clearly describing working with MSTH and you specifically, Leslie; (2) the activists said that the plan was for you and the other moms to disrupt the talks and shout at speakers; and (3) the activists discussed filming you and the other moms disrupting PROSPER to create "embarrassing" footage of Kevin Falcon and John Rustad.
Your plan was publicly exposed hours before it was supposed to be executed, which is why you were barred from the event and had to simply stand around and talk to media.