Pubdate: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 Source: Sault Star, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 The Sault Star Contact: http://www.saultstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1071 Author: Frank Dobrovnik TWO DRUGGISTS WILL STEP IN FOR LOCAL STRUGGLING ADDICTS Police Warned Of Potential Bizarre' Behaviour After Methadone Clinic Closes Community agencies are preparing for fallout from the probable closure of Sault Ste. Marie's private methadone clinic next Monday. Sault Ste. Marie Police Service officers are being warned of the possibility of "bizarre," or even criminal behaviour related to drug withdrawal, said Chief Bob Davies. "If they come across or respond to a call of someone on the street going through obvious drug withdrawal, we want to make sure they recognize it as a medical condition and have the individual treated medically as opposed to criminally," Davies said. "I certainly don't think a cell is the place to put people who are acting bizarre or disorderly because of withdrawal or drug-related symptoms." But Davies stressed those committing Criminal Code offences "will be treated dually: they'd be charged and they'd also be brought to hospital, in custody, and be seen by a doctor." The Ontario College of Pharmacists has given a Kitchener-based pharmacy until March 13 to stop shipping methadone to the 25 clinics operated by Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres. The Sault's OATC, at 500 Queen St. E., claims approximately 150 clients trying to get off a dependence on opioids such as heroin, morphine and derivatives such as the painkiller OxyContin. The other, smaller methadone maintenance program in Sault Ste. Marie, run by Algoma Health Unit's Community, Alcohol and Drug Assessment program, has no resources to take on more patients. Program director Elizabeth Larocque said the clinic is funded for 30 patients and is overflowing with about 36. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, which refers patients to either of the two local programs, was "caught off guard as anybody by this," said Mike O'Shea, assistant planning consultant for northeastern Ontario. O'Shea says they have little contingency to deal with the fallout, "partly because it's a private clinic. . . . This one has always been at arm's length to us." Pharmacist Jon MacDonald, who provides methadone for Algoma Health Unit's methadone maintenance treatment program, agreed to take on "some" OATC clients but said he doesn't have the resources for all 150. MacDonald, who operates The Medicine Shoppe on Second Line West, told The Sault Star last week a second outlet opening on Great Northern Road has also agreed to take on a number of OATC patients. Davies, who took a "neutral" position in getting methadone maintenance in Sault Ste. Marie, nevertheless acknowledged the community hasn't since seen anything like the cluster of mysterious deaths between 1991 and 2001 that the Ontario coroner's office attributed to morphine. "We were certainly aware through the coroner's investigations this could be in the best interests of our community, to have harm reduction programs in our community to treat those who are addicted," he said. "Although we weren't opposed to it, our position as a police service is abstinence and say no to drugs. "But we're not as naive to not know people are dependent on prescription drugs, OxyContin and morphine, and illegal street drugs. "We'd certainly rather see education and enforcement in dealing with drug problems, so I guess they do complement each other." - --- MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)