Pubdate: Thu, 12 Feb 2009 Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB) Copyright: 2009 Canwest Publishing Inc. Contact: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/letters.html Website: http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66 Author: Darcy Henton, Edmonton Journal Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/prison.htm (Incarceration) DRUG TREATMENT BILL APPLAUDED The mother of a former teen drug addict is applauding a bill introduced in the legislature Wednesday that will enable the government to confine young addicts for treatment three times longer than current legislation. Audrey Holliday said the bill, which amends two-year-old legislation aimed at protecting children abusing drugs, is a good start. The bill, one of 12 introduced on the second day of the spring sitting of the Alberta legislature, boosts the current five-day period of confinement to 10 days with a provision for a judge to extend it to 15 days, if deemed necessary. Holliday, who co-founded a group called Parents Empowering Parents, said young people are still often craving drugs and physically ill when they are released from rehabilitation after five days and often fall back to their addiction. That means some parents have had to have their children apprehended and put through the process repeatedly--some up to six times--before they beat the addiction, she said. "When they are released after five days, they are just in a state of detox where they are really craving," she said. "They're angry, they're really fragile and their chances of relapse in fairly high." She said the amendment, if passed this spring, will reduce the costs of the system and the emotional costs on children and their families. "The kids who have recovered from this program know they needed more time," she added. Calgary MLA Heather Forsyth, who introduced Bill 6 -- the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Amendment Act--said parents, treatment staff and police all suggested a longer period of confinement was necessary for positive outcomes. She said the amendment also calls for increased involvement from parents, who would have to attend a mandatory information meeting about the process before it can begin to determine if there are other alternatives. The province is also amending its two-year old Lobbyist Act despite the fact that the flagship bill of Premier Ed Stelmach when he first took office has yet to be implemented. The bill was part of the premier's campaign vow to govern openly and transparently, but the lobbyist registry has yet to begin operation. The amendments will "fine-tune" the bill, said Justice spokesman David Dear. Other bills introduced Wednesday will enable landowners to enter dispute resolution processes to resolve disputes with energy companies, allow for tougher and more creative penalties for people who violate fisheries laws and expand the powers of the chief medical officer of health. - --- MAP posted-by: Doug