Pubdate: Wed, 04 Aug 2010
Source: Parry Sound North Star (CN ON)
Copyright: Metroland 2010
Contact: http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/generalform
Website: http://www.cottagecountrynow.ca/community/parrysound
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1618
Author: Cameron Ginn

METHADONE CLINIC COMES TO PARRY SOUND

PARRY SOUND - Methadone, a synthetic opiate used to treat heroin 
addiction and relieve crippling pain, will soon be available at an 
Ontario Addiction Treatment Centre (OATC) clinic on James Street in 
Parry Sound.

Personnel at the clinic declined to comment on Friday and referred 
questions to an OATC administrator, who did not respond to multiple 
requests for comment.

Another official with the OATC, Rhonda Daiter, would only confirm 
that the new clinic wouldn't be open for another week or two.

"It's not a secret. We're in and soon to be going," said Daiter.

The methadone clinic, centrally located in a building on James Street 
in the downtown, features two entrances, opaque windows that 
partially obscure the interior, and an intricate security system with 
numerous surveillance cameras.

The clinic will offer counseling and methadone maintenance programs 
to those who can't stop abusing opiates, such as OxyContin, a 
powerfully addictive prescription painkiller.

An ugly secret

"It's huge in Parry Sound," Carol Emery, co-chair of HART (Helping 
Addicts Restore Themselves), a non-profit organization that has had 
several proposals for a detoxification facility overturned by senior 
levels of government, said of OxyContin. "You think it's a small 
town, a lovely little town, but it has a really ugly secret."

In 2006, HART, whose founding members have all been affected by 
addiction in one way or another, released a study that revealed Parry 
Sound was suffering from the highest rate of drug addiction in 
Ontario, the majority of which were prescription drugs, she said.

Now that a methadone clinic has been established locally, Emery says 
the geographical barrier that previously existed for addicts without 
transportation no longer applies.

"If a person doesn't have support to get up there, or down to Barrie, 
they're out of luck," she said.

"Having one in town, it's going to be wonderful."

While finding commercial space to lease in downtown is relatively 
simple for retailers, stereotypical challenges may still exist for 
the clinic, a government organization that offers somewhat of a 
controversial social service on site.

Angelika Distler, owner of Florence's Finery in the neighboring 
retail space of the same building, says that, given the delicate 
nature of the clinic's services, the location seemed odd.

"If I were an addict, I might prefer going to a place a little less 
noticeable," she said.

Unclear are the OATC's reasons for choosing the location in the heart 
of Parry Sound. Weeks ago, Distler's landlord informed her of the 
clinic's new location next door.

Although the building's owner would have preferred leasing the space 
to another retailer rather than a government organization, says 
Distler, there was little to no resistance.

"These people, they need help, so I'm glad there's a place for them 
to go," she said. .
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart