Pubdate: Sat, 13 Sep 2008
Source: Daily Observer, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2008 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/udQyY8Mp
Website: http://www.thedailyobserver.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2615
Author: Andre Bigras

A METHADONE CLINIC IS MERELY THE FIRST STEP TO FREE NEEDLES, CRACK PIPES

Editor:

I read the article in The Daily Observer on Aug. 22  advising of a 
methadone clinic opening in Pembroke. As  a former resident of 
Pembroke, this issue concerns me.

I have been involved as a volunteer in the inner City  of Ottawa for 
many years and can attest that there are  people who have been on 
methadone, some for over 20  years. Many are poly drug users and 
still continue  taking illegal drugs. They have basically replaced an 
illegal drug with a legal one but are still not  drug-free.

Abstinence is not the goal and if it isn't, then the  wheel of 
addiction will only grow as more and more  people will be added to 
it. It is to be noted that it  is harder to withdraw from methadone 
than heroin. This  is considered harm reduction and the next phase I 
can assure you is a needle exchange followed by crack  pipes.

This clinic will hire two nurses and a support worker  that is 
covered under OHIP, and we wonder why the  escalating cost to our 
health system. How much does the  methadone cost and if it is 
considered a health issue  and need, then why not cover it?

The most disturbing part of the story is that Ms.  Daiter could not 
estimate the eventual number of  clients that will utilize the 
program and she quotes,  it seems to be a bigger issue than what 
we're seeing now. This is not a scientific survey that studied 
the  needs before implementing this clinic but rather a need  that 
creates and builds an empire on the backs of  addicts.

Would you want your child to enter a methadone clinic  that permeates 
his addiction in a different form, or  would you want them in 
treatment with abstinence as the  goal?

Sadly, harm reduction is for the poor and treatment for  the rich.

Scotland has revisited its methadone program and have  placed a 
two-year limit on it, then the next phase  would be treatment.

The federal government's new drug strategy is  prevention, treatment 
and enforcement. Let us as a  society stop sending mixed messages to 
our children  -don't do drugs but here are some needles, don't do 
drugs but here are some crack pipes, don't do drugs but  walk by the 
methadone clinic in the middle of the city  that replaces illegal 
drugs with a legal one (yet a  drug just the same).

Our actions speak louder than words. There are many  across this land 
lately that are questioning the validity of these harm  reduction 
programs and I believe with reason. I would  encourage readers to 
start checking this out and asking  questions. Please check out our 
website at  www.saferottawa.ca.

Andre Bigras,

Drug Prevention Network of Canada ( www.DPNOC.ca)
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart