Pubdate: Mon, 21 Nov 2016
Source: Daily Courier, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2016 The Okanagan Valley Group of Newspapers
Contact:  http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/531
Author: Les Leyne
Page: A7

DRUG-ADDICTION COLUMN DRAWS COMPLAINTS

There was a frank exchange of views on the subject of drug addiction
after Friday's column about two addicts' outlook on the issue.

As in: "Fire this writer at once. Thanks for stigmatizing this
population which you clearly have zero understanding of." "Heartless."
One writer credited me with some intelligence, "but it was a bit
hidden today."

The piece in question was my reaction to CBC Victoria's revealing
interview with two addicted young women who sounded quite cavalier
about the danger they were facing every day. It was written mostly out
of frustration over the absence of any indication they were thinking
of changing course.

Another correspondent responded in chilling terms that offer no
comfort.

"Let them risk their lives if they want to, but also let them suffer
the consequence, which is death."

More compelling was the response from a friend who has been recovering
from alcoholism for years.

He's frustrated "at the direction taken in the addictions
field."

"When harm reduction was first introduced, it was always intended to
be one pillar. … The other three were: enforcement,
education/prevention and treatment.

"Unfortunately, what we have devolved into is harm reduction at the
expense of everything else.

"It has the effect, in my opinion, of trapping people in their
addictions."

He touched on the fact that affluent addicts get whisked off for
full-service treatment that has a high success rate, but the message
to the poor and disenfranchised is: "Here are some clean needles …
play safe."

He concluded: "A friend who is an addictions counsellor says we'll all
look back on this in 20 years and wonder what the hell everyone was
thinking."

A retired police officer expressed difficulty with the idea of
"enabling the problem." If his family had run into addiction problems,
"I would have wanted treatment, voluntary or if necessary forcibly. I
do not think we are doing (them) any favours if it is not combined
with mandatory treatment."

A man recounted long, difficult years spent dealing with his
daughter's addictions.

"It took a number of years of hard work on our part and her part to
bring her to a point that, while her health is now compromised for the
balance of her life, she has found some purpose." Another father
sounded the same note. "My daughter was addicted to drugs and living
in the Downtown Eastside for about eight years. She has now cleaned
up, is off methadone and is a soccer mom."

"During the nightmarish time that she was on the street, my only
concern was for her safety. I very much appreciated the fact there
were safe-injection sites."

A woman said my column did a disservice to those whose traumatic
experiences led them to lives of despair as addicts.

"My daughter has fought that ugly demon for decades … I and her entire
family have suffered with her. Now in my 86th year, I don't know where
or how she is … I live every day in fear that has been augmented by
the abundance of fentanyl floating about."

An acquaintance who is a veteran addictions counsellor - and objected
to the piece - briefed me on where B.C. stands. The four-pillar
approach, referenced above, led to the safe-injection site in
Vancouver that is the model for what other health authorities are
attempting. He said the approach was unbalanced from the start, overly
emphasizing enforcement, and missing other issues such as poverty and
housing.

It's still unbalanced today. By his rough estimate, treatment services
are funded at about 20 per cent of what's needed to be effective.

One thing that gets missed, he said, is that drugs have benefits, as
well as dangers. They're excellent for numbing emotional pain.

"I can't imagine living in a harsh and primitive situation such as
tent city, and not using them."

Just So You Know: The column estimated B.C.'s overdose death toll could 
top 600 by year's end. Numbers from the coroners service show it's much 
worse than that. There have been 622 overdose deaths to Oct. 31, 
compared to 397 at that point in 2015.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Matt