DETOX CENTRE CAN SAVE ADDICTS, USER CLAIMS

A Red Deer man who was addicted to crack cocaine for seven years
credits detox programs for helping him deal with his addiction. And he
wants others to have the same opportunity in Red Deer.

He relapsed three months ago, went to a detox facility in Edmonton for
five days, and worries about opposition to the Safe Harbour Society's
newest plans for a detox in Red Deer.

"I know as the city is growing here, so is the problem and it's a
definite requirement," said John, who declined to give his last name.

"I'm completely in full support of it because I know what (detox) did
for me and I know what lays out there for people when they clean up."

Safe Harbour Society is seeking a temporary eight-bed detox at 4809
48th Ave., south of the Red Deer Courthouse. A permanent 20-bed detox
and 20-bed overnight shelter is proposed for 5246 53rd Ave., west of
A&B Sound.

It's the third location Safe Harbour has proposed for the 40-bed site.
Business owners opposed the downtown Scott Block last fall and earlier
this year residents contested the former EXH Engineering Services building.

John grew up in British Columbia. At 12, he was sniffing glue. He
progressed to marijuana and smoked crack cocaine from 18 to 25.

"When this free-base got into me it ruined me. I was doing crimes. I
was doing time. I was down to 130 pounds, nothing but bones."

He committed break and enters, stole purses, and sold drugs to support
his addiction. He ended up in jail about 10 times in B.C., on
sentences ranging from two months to a year.

But one day he looked in the mirror and didn't like what he
saw.

"Deep down inside I knew I was a better person than I had become.
Something broke in me."

He couldn't quit on his own and found the support he needed in a detox
program.

"Addiction is a disease. It is an illness and just like all illnesses,
we need treatment for it."

Choosing between a bus ticket to a Calgary or Edmonton detox and
buying drugs or alcohol can be difficult. A local detox would
eliminate that choice, he said.

People may feel threatened by the proposed detox, but it offers
support and ideas on how to deal with addiction for those who are
ready, he said.

"If you don't help them they will continue to do what they've always
done and behave the way they always have, until you teach them another
way."

"We need to stop pushing them away and saying it's someone else's
problem. This is our society, our community and we need to be there to
help them."

Red Deer's municipal planning commission will look at approving the
temporary detox location on Monday at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall chambers.
Comments can be presented before or during the meeting.

Kath Hoffman, residential director with Safe Harbour Society, said
time is running out for the detox and the landlord can accommodate the
temporary site.

"This is it. I don't know how to impress that upon people more. This
is really it," Hoffman said.

"We had to find whatever was available as soon as we could and grab
it. We didn't have a lot of time to go shopping."

People are looking for someone to blame for Red Deer's drug problems.
Safe Harbour is just as "sick and tired" of the problem and that's why
it's working so hard to set up a detox, she said.