Pubdate: Tue, 31 Jan 2006 Source: Regina Leader-Post (CN SN) Copyright: 2006 The Leader-Post Ltd. Contact: http://www.canada.com/regina/leaderpost/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/361 Author: Matt Kruchak, Saskatchewan News Network PREVENTION KEY TO TREATING ADDICTION SASKATOON -- Cocaine or card games? Crystal meth or cigarettes? Marijuana or rye whisky? Our society needs to focus on legal vices rather than the illicit, Wayne Skinner said. "Most of our addiction problems occur with behaviors from legal substances, tobacco, alcohol, and gambling," said Skinner, deputy clinical director in the addictions program at the Centre for Addictions and Mental Health, Ontario. Skinner was keynote speaker at Moving Forward, a national conference on substance abuse held in Saskatoon Monday. He said addictions to legal activities have become endemic and the problem needs to be public. "It's not just a problem for government but a problem for communities, it's a civic issue," he said. "We all need to be thinking about what's the balance here and what has to be done about it, because really, what are governments but the reflections of the will of the communities." The group of people with severe addiction is the size of a shot glass compared to the rest of the population, but the problems facing society aren't pint sized, because they affect everyone. A study done in Ontario found that 10 per cent of people who consume alcohol are problem drinkers, Skinner said. That small group of people, drinks enough to contribute over 50 per cent of alcohol revenue, he said. Another study done in Ontario suggests that only five per cent of gamblers have moderate to severe problems but contribute to 35 per cent of casino's winnings, he said. Skinner said what concerns him is this minority of people who supply a sizable amount of revenue to the government. He said what needs to be looked at is how much cash goes back into helping those with a problem. "I think what the province and First Nations have said is that they want to utilize gaming and utilize alcohol sales for funding of programs but we want to do that in a way that doesn't actually harm individuals," said Graham Addley, minister of healthy living services. He said the answer is the Premier's Project Hope, a three-year plan to prevent and treat substance abuse. Skinner said that the program is positive because they're focusing on prevention. Another appealing aspect is that the project includes many disciplines in their approach, such as criminal justice, health care, social service along with the substance abuse system, he said. What if the project is so successful and the money made by the government diminishes? "The revenues may go down but I don't view that as losing money because you'd be having a much healthier population," Addley said. Dealing with addictions goes beyond the traditional approach of treatment, he said, adding that the majority of addictions can be prevented. He said that the stereotypes related to addiction need to be dismantled, making it "easier for people to say 'this is a problem in my life.' " "We need to become as good getting the community and government awareness of the problem side of alcohol and gambling addictive behaviours, as those who are involved in promoting the positive aspects of these products," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman