Letters

Harm-minimisation

Arnold Jago

Contents - Oct 2012 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The Year of Faith and Catechism of the Catholic Church - Michael Gilchrist Anglican Ordinariate: Melbourne ordinations: historic day for Church in Australia - Peter Westmore News: The Church Around the World Universities: Cardinal Pell's tertiary ministry at Sydney's universities - Br Barry Coldrey The Year of Faith and true unity of faith - Cardinal Raymond Burke Missions: Father Raphael: dynamic Nigerian parish priest - Madonna Brosnan History: Melbourne Catholics: Dr Mannix's impact - Patrick Morgan The new evangelisation and the culture of life - Anne Lastman Liturgical Music: Vatican II: Singing nourishes faith ... raises minds to God - Bishop Arthur Serratelli G.K. Chesterton on the decay of Western Christianity - Donald Boland Schools: Saint Mary MacKillop Colleges, Wagga Wagga: progress report - Charles Morton Letters: Information - Robert Bom Letters: Nuclear family - Leon Voesenek Letters: Harm-minimisation - Arnold Jago Letters: Financial capitalism - Peter D. Howard Letters: Christian unity - Andrew Sholl Letters: Real Presence - Cedric Wright Letters: Biblical assertions - Frank Mobbs Books: AN AMAZING LOVE, by Father Ken Barker - Br Barry Coldrey (reviewer) Books: Manual of Minor Exorcisms, Prayers for those in Spiritual Affliction, Porteous - Fr Nicholas Dillon Support: 2012 Fighting Fund Progress Books: Order books from www.freedompublishing.com.au Reflection: The Year of Faith and the Church's missionary role - Fr Dennis W. Byrnes

Australia's first prison-based needle exchange will start soon in Canberra. "The only way to stop prisoners getting Hepatitis C," say the harm-minimisation fans. "Addiction is a disease," they say.

No, opiate-addiction is a make-believe disease. And harm-minimisation "treatments" are make-believe treatments.

Heroin addicts can stop if they want to. If the price of heroin gets high, don't they just stop using it and use amphetamines or something else instead?

Of the many American soldiers using heroin while in Vietnam, didn't 85 percent simply stop using or looking for it on return?

Harm-minimisation is cruel. It tells users they are on the scrap-heap - "natural slaves", incapable of exerting free will.

Perhaps an atheist could think that way. But in the real world there is always hope. One can turn to God and find the needed strength.

ARNOLD JAGO (DR)
Mildura, Vic

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 25 No 9 (October 2012), p. 15