The other day I happened to cut through a wooded area in Surrey and came across a disoriented, confused young lady on drugs and in some distress.
I couldn’t help but think that she is someone’s daughter, probably with parents out there worrying about her. I phoned the police who came immediately to check on her.
When I checked back next day, the authorities told me they took the young woman to the hospital. If I hadn’t come along, she may have fallen asleep and frozen to death or someone else may have come along and taken advantage of her. This brought tears to my eyes because I know what it is like as a parent to worry that I may lose my daughter or granddaughter to an overdose.
The overdoses in Surrey are still happening and little is being done to help the marginalized in the area known as The Strip. I have a daughter and granddaughter among the many who live on the street there. I know what it is to worry about getting a phone call telling me that one or both of my family have been found dead of an overdose in some alley or park because there is no supervised safe area for them in case of overdose.
Vancouver has one and is looking at opening more. Surrey does not want to open one because no one wants it in their area.
Well, drug use is occurring anyway, so why not in a safe environment? If there was a safe injection site, then the users would be inside, safe and not seen.
Richard Griffin
Surrey