By Marilyn Brennan Santa Monica
This letter is regarding Daily Press reporter John Wood’s article “Officials accept plan with little comment” (SMDP Oct. 30, page 1).
I don’t blame City Councilman Robert Holbrook for walking out. City Councilman Kevin Mckeown dubbing City Hall’s homeless programs a “phenomenal success” — in spite of the growing population and problems brought by the present homeless situation — should have caused a major walk-out.
McKeown then went on to ask the Chamber of Commerce representatives if they had looked into pressuring liquor stores to stop selling alcohol to people who are intoxicated. Intoxication is the state of the alcoholic and to stop drinking in the middle of a binge is to bring on the delirium tremens that often prove fatal, and, at best, requires immediate hospitalization and medicated detox.
It’s just this kind of ignorance that is acerbating the homeless problem. After 12 years as a front-line worker with alcoholics and drug abusers, I can tell you that a heroin addict will not die in a withdrawal situation. Heroin withdrawal has been dramatized in the media and is a far from pleasant experience, but it is not fatal. However, an alcoholic or barbiturate addict can die in an unsupervised withdrawal. Years ago, before programs and hospitals got wise to addiction, Alcoholics Anonymous members would taper the drunk off of the liquor, so as not to bring on the DT’s. Maybe Mr. McKeown should educate himself before applauding services that cater to transients’ sick behavior.
When an addict is using, you cannot expect any change in the status quo. What you see is what you will continue to get, and to aid, abet and reward this sick behavior is to help them die. AA and 12-step programs are free. Get them into treatment and then address their living and job situation.
To give food, clothing, shelter, job training to people who are willing to get sober and help themselves is a good thing. To help the sick stay sick is not.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 3, 2003. Read the original PDF.