Pubdate: Wed, 24 Apr 2002
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: Lisa Lebed
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?132 (Heroin Overdose)
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v02/n784/a05.html

RECOVERING ADDICT ADDS VOICE TO DEBATE

To the editor:

After reading the article, "Injection sites a hot topic for 
councillors," April 21, I am alarmed at provincial health officer Dr. 
Perry Kendall's statement that "focusing on treatment before safe 
injection sites are established is not practical because there's 
always a percentage of addicts who don't want treatment, or for whom 
traditional treatment programs don't work."

I appreciate that he wants to have safe injection sites on a 
health-related level, such as for prevention of HIV/AIDS and Hep C, 
but I would hope he would consider the vast need for a continuing 
care program in order for harm reduction to really be a success.

I am a recovering heroin addict who spent 20 years in the Downtown 
Eastside, the last five on methadone maintenance. My methadone doctor 
encouraged me to see a counsellor through the methadone clinic, and I 
have now been living in recovery houses for 18 months, and totally 
abstinent for more than 13 months, (the longest period in 25 years).

I've had to go through different levels in my recovery-from seeing a 
doctor and a counsellor, to a methadone recovery house, residential 
treatment, and a totally abstinent recovery house. I have now gone 
back to school. It has all been a process of becoming a functioning 
responsible member of society. I would encourage Dr. Kendall to 
implement more treatment programs, as well as work programs and 
housing programs to help facilitate people back into society. Drug 
addiction is so much more than a drug problem. It is poverty, bad 
housing, lack of education-a societal problem that needs so much more 
than safe injection sites, heroin maintenance, or methadone programs. 
It is just my opinion, but I have been in the trenches, and I know 
what worked for me.

There is always the possibility that some addicts who access these 
harm reduction programs will not utilize the assistance of treatment 
programs, but please, have them in place for those who want recovery, 
who want to live.

Lisa Lebed, Vancouver
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MAP posted-by: Josh