Story and Photos By Sal Giarratani
SAFE INJECTION SITES IS
A COP OUT
Recently the Patriot ran a news story about a physician up at MGH Charlestown on High Street who thinks safe injection sites will safe many lives from fatal opiate overdoses. Seems the good doctor thinks rather than shooting up alone and undetected by others, these addicts should have a safe environment with medical supervision to prevent the dying.
I give credit to City Councilor Michael Flaherty who called the idea “asinine, absolutely asinine.” He is also correct buyers and sellers will be swarming around the clinic and High Street.
What we need to be doing is getting these folks hooked on drugs into recovery programs not making it easier to stay in denial and pretend they are safe because medical people are lurking near them.
I understand why many medical people support safe injection sites because too many needless deaths care taking place at such a rapid rate but allowing folks to take poison is not the answer. Sadly, for many of these addicts turning themselves around seems impossible. Many of them will continue to use and eventually die either by themselves or in a crowd of people. Many believe overdosing won’t happen to them. They are playing Russian Roulette with their own lives every time they do drugs. It only takes one time to die and that’s the end of their battle with drugs.
We need to start educating young people as early as possible to the dangers of getting addicted for life and the death sentence awaiting them when they run out of luck on the roulette table.
Safe Injection Spaces are a misnomer because it is like handing matches to an arsonist. Injecting yourself with poison to feel better won’t help individuals or society. It is a game of pretend and it is a losing game.
I am not a doctor I was a police officer who often had to deal with addicts in crisis and with addicts that died from overdoses. It is difficult watching people slowly destroy their lives and future. Sometimes there are no answers. Sometimes you just can’t help someone not ready to help themselves. Education of younger people is all we really have to counter this poison out there.
ELECTION TIME IS COMING UP
Boston’s Preliminary Election Day is coming up quickly on Tuesday, September 26. Here in Charlestown, the race for mayor is on the ballot as is the District City Council spot. Check out all the candidates and be sure to vote. If you fail to vote, please don’t complain later. No one wants to hear you do that.