Pubdate: Fri, 10 Jan 2014
Source: Peterborough This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing
Contact:  http://www.mykawartha.com/peterborough-on/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1794
Author: Mike Lacey
Column: Laced Wisdom

TACKLING THE STIGMA AROUND ADDICTION VITAL IN OUR FIGHT AGAINST ILLEGAL, 
AND LEGAL, DRUGS

Stigma.

That is the hill Kerri Kightley and others with the Peterborough Drug
Strategy will look to climb this year.

Already they have attempted to make strides in educating people and
community agencies on the makeup of those in the city and county who
are battling addiction.

It's not an easy job. Too many people assume that the 'addict' looks
like something from a movie. And while there are obviously those who
carry the cliche look of a drug addict, many more people would best
resemble your neighbour, your sister, your father.

During Wednesday's Peterborough County Council meeting, Ms Kightley
laid out the drug strategy's plan for the coming year. And while a
critical component is focusing on our overdose problem (far too high),
educating teens about true dangers of drug use (thanks in part to
speaks who they can relate to), and continuing a course designed to
improve communication within families (Ms Kightley says even she
learned quite a bit from it), the most intriguing and crucial steps
they will take in 2014 and beyond is battling stigma.

Drug addiction takes many forms and affects every segment of our
society. Yet too often we pigeonhole who a drug addict is. That, in
turn, harms society in two ways.

One, if we don't know who addicts are, then how can we ever begin to
deal with the underlying problem?

Two, if someone is an addict, they may be less inclined to seek help
our of fear that they will be marginalized by a society that has
preconceived notions on who a drug addict is and how they got there.

For example, methadone clinics, and the people who use them, came up
Wednesday through questioning from county politicians.

The concern raised -- which is not new -- is that Peterborough's five
methadone clinics are luring in a certain crop of unwanted
individuals. That is, in turn, keeping people away from the downtown
core and, as a result, having a negative impact on local businesses.

I understand the argument -- have it heard many times over the past
few years in fact -- but think it makes a couple of
assumptions.

One, who is actually using the methadone clinics? We simply assume
they are a mix of vagrants and undesirables, people up to no good and
ready to wreak havoc upon our downtown core.

Two, those who do use the clinics are not some unknown individuals who
would otherwise never frequent the downtown. They are our brothers and
sisters; mothers and fathers; neighbours and friends. They are
citizens of this community.

Some are criminals; others are professionals. Some are dealing with a
traumatic event in their lives, which may have been what led to their
addictions. Others suffered an injury and the medication that helped
relieve the pain has now become a monster they must consume.

I don't envy the job Peterborough Drug Strategy team has before them.
Stigma is a difficult beast to change, no matter its form.

But the stigma of drug addiction will not only stop people from
admitting they need help, but it will also prevent us from truly
tackling our drug problem.
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MAP posted-by: Matt