Pubdate: Sat, 09 Feb 2008 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2008 Times Colonist Contact: http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v08/n145/a02.html Author: Robert Brown TREAT ADDICTION AS A MEDICAL ISSUE Re: "The biggest barrier to better, safer streets," Feb. 8. I agree with Jody Paterson's recent column, but I would take all this talk of reasons a step further: Addiction is a mental illness. These poor souls need more than housing; they need therapy and supervision to overcome this most terrible of mental illnesses. Addiction is not a social problem; it is a medical one and should be treated as such. Robert Brown Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom