Pubdate: Mon, 22 Oct 2001
Source: North Shore News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 North Shore News
Contact:  http://www.nsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311
Author: Katharine Hamer

SUBSTANCE ABUSE MEETINGS PLANNED

SUBSTANCE abuse should be treated as a medical issue, according to a North 
Shore-based task force.

According to North Vancouver City Coun. Craig Keating, chairman of the 
Substance Abuse Task Force, substance abuse should be addressed through 
prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm reduction.

Keating was speaking at a meeting of the North Shore Congress, whose 
members include representatives of all three North Shore municipalities, 
Bowen Island, Lions Bay, Squamish and Tsleil Waututh Nations, the North 
Shore Health Region, police, and local school districts.

The task force was formed in October, 2000, with the goal of developing a 
co-ordinated community approach to dealing with substance abuse.

Said fellow task force member and West Vancouver Coun. Allan Williams, "The 
program outlined is designed to bring North Shore communities relief from 
the social consequences of the illicit use and abuse of alcohol, drugs, and 
prescription medication."

A draft document, in development for the past year, acknowledges the 
"controversial" nature of the issue and highlights four key areas that need 
to be targeted. Planned preventative programs include raising awareness of 
substance abuse; school-based education programs, and providing individual 
and family support. These include detoxification, outpatient counselling 
and residential treatment, as well as housing, ongoing medical care, 
employment services, social programs, and life skills.

Late last year all three North Shore councils began discussing the 
possibility of a drug rehabilitation centre linked to a permanent homeless 
shelter in central Lonsdale. Harm reduction is based on the idea that 
abstinence-based approaches are not always effective in dealing with 
hard-core addiction and street-entrenched open drug scenes.

Harm reduction actions in the task force strategy could include a needle 
exchange; condom distribution; and a community discussion on policy and 
legislative change.

The strategy would see crime fighting efforts zero in on organized crime, 
drug houses and drug dealers. Improved coordination with health services 
and other agencies to link drug and alcohol users to available programs 
throughout the region are also viewed as being key to effective enforcement.

According to the draft document, "Chronic diseases such as addiction are 
neither a lifestyle choice nor a moral lapse. Addiction is a disease, not 
unlike other chronic diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. We 
know that addressing substance abuse must include compassion, respect, and 
care for those who are its victim." The task force will hold a series of 
public meetings over the next few months to garner support for its 
strategies: Thursday, Oct. 25, 7 p.m. at West Vancouver Secondary; 
Thursday, Nov. 1, 7 p.m. at Carson Graham Secondary; Thursday, Nov. 8, 7 
p.m. at Windsor Secondary; Thursday, Nov. 15, 7 p.m. at Cates Hill Chapel 
on Bowen Island; Tuesday, Nov. 20, 8 p.m. at Lions Bay Community Centre in 
Lions Bay.
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