Pubdate: Tue, 04 Oct 2005
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.richmond-news.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1244
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/rehab.htm (Treatment)

EFFECTIVE TREATMENT FOR ADDICTIONS NEEDED

Two announcements came down this week that has tremendous potential to help 
B.C. tackle two monstrous addiction problems that have tragic consequences 
for health and safety in our society.

One was the Supreme Court ruling that gives the Government of British 
Columbia the right to go to court to recover health costs from tobacco 
companies. The other was the B.C. government's announcement of $7 million 
to tackle the growing crystal meth problem.

This all sounds very promising. We just hope the B.C. government does the 
right thing with the money. And the right thing to do is to fund treatment 
centres for all forms of addiction. Remarkably, there is no detox or 
treatment centre for addicts and alcoholics in Richmond. Putting such a 
facility here would be a good start.

And wouldn't it be nice if some of the millions the B.C. government stands 
to reap from Big tobacco were used to treat cigarette addiction? Ever heard 
of a treatment centre for smokers? Neither have we - not in B.C., at least 
- - and yet tobacco is worse than heroin in many ways. There are junkies who 
have kicked heroin but will never be able to quit smoking, and tobacco 
kills more people than heroin.

More likely, we will probably see a lot of money the B.C. government gets 
from the tobacco industry spent on advertising that tells us what we 
already know: smoking stains your teeth and kills you.

We fear the ruling on recovering health care costs from Big tobacco will 
end up being just another tax grab of sorts, with increased cigarette costs 
simply passed onto hopelessly addicted smokers. What is needed is effective 
treatment for all addicts - including smokers.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom