Surely every pound given to beggars who then spend it on heroin is a pound they do not have to steal to feed their habit?
One recent estimate calculated £45 million has to be obtained illegally every year in Brighton in order to fund the addiction of more than 1,800 heroin users. Not giving money to beggars will neither stop them from coming to this town nor taking heroin. We need an integrated policy for treatment, both locally and nationally, to address this problem.
Unfortunately, while the rampant demonstrations over the siting of the addiction day centre and the Phoenix House family unit go unchallenged, nothing will happen and the situation will get worse.
-Steve Cook, Hythe Road, Brighton
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