Pubdate: Wed, 16 Nov 2016
Source: Sentinel Review (CN ON)
Copyright: 2016 Woodstock Sentinel Review
Contact: http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/letters
Website: http://www.woodstocksentinelreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2385
Author: Bruce Chessell
Page: A3

EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FOCUSES ON 'ADDICTION MATTERS'

Addiction can hit close to home for some people - and can often end
tragically for those involved.

This week, the Canadian Centre for Substance Abuse, in partnership
with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and other
participating organizations, will be holding their annual education
campaign, National Addictions Awareness Week.

This year's theme, Addiction Matters, will draw attention to substance
misuse as a chronic health issue that impacts individuals, families
and communities across Canada.

CMHA Oxford executive director Mike McMahon said six-million Canadians
will meet the criteria for substance abuse disorder in their lifetime.

"Youth 15 to 24 have the highest rate of substance abuse disorders and
people with mental illness are twice as likely," he said. "In Ontario,
the annual cost of alcohol-related health care and law-enforcement
corrections (as well as) lost productivity … is at least $5 billion."

McMahon said the public is constantly affected by the myths of
addiction and the stigma related to addiction.

"Addiction and substance misuse are often connected to somebody's
lived experience and their behaviour patterns, but that's not a nature
of the illness," he said. "Somebody's behaviour pattern is quite
separate from their addiction illnesses … If you look at everything
from media reporting to the way we look at these things in our daily
life, we often link addiction with issues that are not connected, and
that's one of the myths about addiction."

Ontario is currently coping with a crisis related to a number of
deaths resulting from opioid addiction. Opioid drugs include Fentanyl,
heroin, morphine and Oxycontin.

"Fentanyl is 50 to 80 times stronger than morphine," McMahon said.
"One grain, the size of a grain of salt, is enough to cause an
overdose of Fentanyl.

"This is an Ontario issue, but Woodstock is not immune to the issues
that are affecting our entire province," he added. "So we need to know
and advocate for folks in our community to feel comfortable to come
forward with illnesses that are causing challenges in their lives."

There will also be a free concert called Stage For Change, featuring
artists Ab by Stewart, Bailey P elk man, Evergreen and Carter Nichol,
at the Church of the Epiphany in Woodstock for National Addiction
Awareness Week on Friday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

The event will be presented by Addiction Services of Thames Valley's
foundation It's Possible. For more information about the event visit
http://www.facebook.com/events/115755958893365/.
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MAP posted-by: Matt