Drug addiction is an illness
I know that, but you presume to already know my positions, thoughts and experience. I’ve lost people to drug and alcohol addiction, including both my parents in their 60s, three of my grandparents and almost my older brother. I may not use today‘s progressive, inclusive and sanitized terminology nor the otherwise slackivist calls for compassion and understanding, but when I see the junkies sprawled about downtown I always remind myself that’s someone’s kid or parent. We all die from something, and not everyone is going to make it through the sh#t life sends our way, but most of us don't turn to drugs - unlike my cousin in law who as an alcoholic killed a man when he was DUI. Oh yes, addiction to drugs has impacted my views, but they're not black and white as you suggest.
Certainly mental illness plays a part, but there's a personal responsibility in addiction, it takes a voluntary first start. No one forced the drugs onto my parents, for example, perhaps they couldn't handle their lives and looked for mama's little helper, IDK. And then that decision to begin with drugs often impacts the community and the freedom of others to live their lives downtown without drug paraphernalia and neighborhood decay.
Is that the exchange now, downtowners must accept drugs and decay because addicts, often AIUI not originating from downtown got hooked and large charities and government agencies (who leaders are often
wealthy and likely don’t live downtown) deem our neighbourhood as unworthy of regular standards of civility and law and order? Doesn't seem fair to the rest of us clean and sober downtowners slogging through life.
) I've been living in the downtown area of TO for over 26 years now. Things have deteriorated in a big way. My condo is at Victoria and Shuter. Man, once (and if) I reach that retirement age, I am out of here.
