KELOWNA, B.C. -- A candidate in the mayoral race in Kelowna, B.C. suggests using crack to deal with the city's drug-addicted homeless people. Andrew Uitvlugt says crack could be used as a reward or incentive to motivate people to do constructive work in the city, like picking up garbage. Once they've done their duties, he figures the addicts will feel so good about themselves, they may not need the crack, or less of it. You can hear his comments in a video campaign pitch on the website okbc.tv. The candidate also wants to move the homeless to a combined shelter and retraining center at the city dump. He says they could use the available materials to build things and get marketable skills. Uitvlugt is one of the five candidates running in the November 19th municipal election. Yeah, sure, lets give these people crack and let them live at the dump, away from society. Not like they're human or anything More political suicide this way...
WHAT!?!?!? Let's completely ignore the fact, as well, that drug TREATMENT should be the ultimate goal, not fostering drug addiction. To a substance that is both lethal and incredibly physically and mentally addictive. To say something as absurd as "they'll feel so good they won't need crack" illustrates a complete lack of understanding about the process of addiction. Wow. This is just...wow. I'd say, "leave it to a politician," but the fact is that he'll probably even get votes. Yeesh.
The only thing that amazes me more than a politician suggesting this, is that he wasn't an American. (No offense meant, I'm from Texas, so hush.)
Shouldn't we give out methadone or whatever it's called? I'm starting to think that end of the world by 2012 thing might be more than religious hysteria...
