Madam Speaker, I welcome that comment. I have a feeling that the member opposite is probably as concerned as we are about this issue.
The DARE program, educationally, appears to be a very good program. There are many educational programs involving drugs today. What I see, however, is a lack of co-ordination nationally on all of these programs.
When I go into one needle exchange in one city, in one small office, and find out that there are 2.5 million needles per annum issued out of that office, I say that not only is this a national priority, but what is happening with the DARE program and all of the other programs? What are we missing that is not going from education into the addiction aspect of it?
I was in Sydney, Nova Scotia and Cape Breton last week and I was surprised to see a needle exchange there. Typically, needle exchanges are in areas where there are really very serious problems.
I think this issue has crept up on us and is to the point now where it is not just education, it is that we have to stop treating drug addicts and people who commit crimes because of their addiction as criminals and look at them as a serious health issue. We have to look at those who are non-addicted and selling drugs as serious criminals and do something very serious with them.
I welcome the hon. member's question. I hope that when we get into this seriously, and we will, like it or not, we will get into this together. We have to look at all of the educational programs, all of the rehabilitation programs and all of the criminal aspects of legislation and make them work right across the country.