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LETTER: Government-regulated opiates a solution

In 1946, England recognized drug addiction as a medical/social problem rather than a legal one
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Britain has no fentanyl crisis because they already solved this problem 70 years ago, says letter writer. (BLACK PRESS photo)

To the editor,

Re: New ministry has hands full with fentanyl, Sept. 12.

In 1946, England recognized drug addiction as a medical/social problem rather than a legal one. And solved it.

British addicts can access government-regulated opiates to deal with pain under their medical plan, although the vast majority of addicts prefer to work at regular jobs and pay the $5 per day themselves. They don’t have the $100,000 per year we Canadians pay to keep a person in jail, nor the police and court costs of putting them there. Criminal suppliers can’t make a profit against that competition.

Perhaps most important, addicts don’t have to steal from other citizens to pay for their habit.

Britain has no fentanyl crisis because they already solved this problem 70 years ago. Isn’t it time Canada caught up?

Jim Erkiletian, Nanaimo