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News (Media Awareness Project) - Canada: The Fix May Be In
Title:Canada: The Fix May Be In
Published On:1998-10-14
Source:Alberta Report (Canada)
Fetched On:2008-09-06 22:59:13
THE FIX MAY BE IN

Calgary Considers Dispensing Free Addictive Drugs

Giving Heroin addicts free drugs and a safe place to shoot up appears, at
first blush, to be a bizarre and convoluted way to address a serious health
problem or suppress an illegal activity. Yet just such a program is under
consideration in Vancouver and is generating more than a casual interest in
Calgary. Dr.John Gill, the chief of infectious diseases with the Calgary
Regional Health Authority (CRHA), calls the Vancouver proposal novel and
innovative.

If it is successful, he syas it may be what Calgary needs to stem the
spread of HIv and hepatitis C among its estimated 3,000 intravenous drug
users.

The Vancouver proposal, unveiled by provincial health officer Dr. John
Millar in August, was developed in response to a drug problem which both
health officials and police say is out of control. It is estimated
Vancouver's drug addicts now exceed 10,000 and heroin- and cocaine-related
deaths are expected to exceed 400 this year. Vancouver police Chief Bruce
Chambers has conceded the war on drugs has been lost. "We're not even
having decent skirmishes", he reported.

There have been doubs raised about the effective of similar programs in
Britain, Sweden, and Switzerland. Nevertheless, support for the Vancouver
initiative is guided by a philosophy called "harm reduction", which is
predicated on the theory that addicts who are given free drugs and safe
havens to use them will be more willing to kick their habits and less
inclined to commit thefts to finance their addictions. The proposal would
also expand Vancouver's program to treat heroin addicts with the synthetic
sustitute methadone. The city now treats 5,400 addicts with methadone,
which simulates the effects of heroin; the proposal calls for another 1,500
addicts to be included.

Methadone treatment is also under serious consideration in Calgary, which
is the only major North American city without such a program. Dr. Brent
Friesen, the CRHA's medical officer of health, has called a methadone
program a priority. As a result, the CRHA commissioned Dr. Dale Ginter, an
independent public health consultant, to determine if the addiction rate in
Calgary justifies a methadone clinic. Dr. Ginter estimates there are about
400 opiate addicts-those addicted to heroin, morphine, cocaine and
codeine--who would benefit from such a facility.

Dr. Ginter says providing methadone to addicts in a controlled environment
would decrease the risk of substance overdose, which last year claimed the
lives of 20 Calgarians. Becauase methadone is administered orally, he says
it would also decrease the transmission of HIM and hepatitis C, which are
passed through the sharing of needles. "It has shown to be effective in
helping addicts stay with other kinds of treatment, such as counselling,
longer and more consistentlly."

The success rate of the methadone clinic in Edmonton has not been monitored
since its inception about 25 years ago because according to Jerry Moran,
manager of adult services for the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Coimmission, "success is a relative tern" According to Mr. Moran, the
purist measures success only if the addict becomes drug-free. However, he
says there are clients who have been on methadone for 15 years, have
rebuilt strong family relationships, hold successful jobs and are
functioning members of society.

While there is a strong push from within the medical community for a
similar methadone treatment facility in Calgary, not everyone is
supportive. Detective Pat Tetley, a drug expert with the Calgary Police
Service, maintains Calgary is not experiencing the same need as Edmonton or
Vancouver. "The difficulty aI have with the methadone program is that
methadone itselrf is addictive.", explains Det.Tetley. "It's a procedure
which may reduce heroin intake, but the addiction remains.

Dr. Ginter acknowledges a methadone clinic in Calgary is not going to be a
"silver bullet" solution to the city's addiction problems, but if the
program benefits 400 addicts, "it would be unethical not to provide it."

Copyright: (c) 1998 United Western Communications Ltd.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson
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