Pubdate: Thu, 28 May 2009 Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Times Colonist Contact: http://www2.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/letters.html Website: http://www.timescolonist.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481 Author: Brian Belcher MORE TREATMENT, NOT CRACK PIPES It is obvious to me that VIHA and the provincial government have their priorities wrong when it comes to managing the addiction problem. They are expecting the taxpayer to be on the hook for providing crack pipes, which only encourages drug use, while ignoring the need to increase the facilities for those addicts who wish to become clean. I have a relative who was in a publicly funded treatment facility 21/2 years ago and placed on methadone as a way to abstain from hard drugs. At the time, he was told that if he ever wanted to get off methadone it would be best that he detoxified in a facility. Well, that time has come, but his doctor cannot find a public facility that has space or will accept a person who is detoxifying from methadone. Detoxifying from methadone is more difficult both physically and mentally than alcohol or any of the street drugs. So he is left to fight the battle on his own, with the occasional visit to a street physician. Not being in a controlled environment only lowers his chances of success. Maybe there is a private facility; but not everyone can afford thousands of dollars a month. Our governments commit us to megaprojects that leave us with huge debts for current and future generations, but continue to ignore the social issues that are eroding our society and quality of life. Brian Belcher Victoria - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom