DRUG ADDICTS NEED 'TREATMENT ON DEMAND'

Crystal meth addicts who want to go off methamphetamine need the
support of health care professionals.

The system is letting too many addicts down, says Mike Hunter, who
volunteered to head the community-based crystal meth task force. The
committee was formed to address a growing problem with methamphetamine
addiction, and Hunter said it's learning ways to streamline addiction
treatment throughout the community.

"It's like going into your basement and putting a light on ?" you're
bound to find a lot of cobwebs," Hunter said.

Addicts have told the committee that to make a dent in addiction they
need treatment on demand, at the precise time when an addict chooses
sobriety.

"One day, if you're lucky, the light bulb comes on and you don't want
to do this anymore," Hunter said. "At that point in time an addict
needs someone to take them by the hand and get them somewhere safe ...
I think most people will tell you we're not able to do that in Nanaimo."

Hunter, who's been involved in the sex trade diversion program Willow
WAI, has been frustrated by a lack of treatment beds for female sex
trade workers.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority has been slow to provide new
treatment beds, but Hunter said the situation appears to be changing.

Nanaimo has plenty of drug treatment counsellors, but few are
available at 7 a.m., when the tweaking addict starts to crash after a
five-day crystal meth binge.

"If you phone drug addiction treatment agencies after 5 o'clock all
you get is a phone message," Hunter said. "The question is being asked
how many service providers are there ?" is there some way of providing
service after 5 o'clock?"

Criminal justice is another area of concern. When an addict is caught
stealing to buy drugs, he's jailed for a few days, then released. It's
a missed opportunity to divert the addict.

"Everybody wants to help, but that's one area we don't have the
resources. Judges face a pretty well impossible task," Hunter said.

Still, he is hopeful.

"When you look at the resources we have and you put it up against
VIHA's changing attitude, things don't look so desperate," he said.

The task force will issue a report in February or March, and Hunter
hopes the community can start to put into practice its
recommendations.

"Somebody else has got to take on the ongoing work - this has got to
be dealt with by professionals. I really do think the involvement by
VIHA and their commitment to work with the community is really the key
breakthrough."