Pubdate: Wed, 28 Dec 2016
Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB)
Copyright: 2016 Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact: http://www.edmontonsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.edmontonsun.com
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135
Page: 14

LET'S UNITE ON OPIOID WAR

If Alberta had as many drunk driving deaths as it did from opioids - 338
for the first nine months of the year, half of those tied to fentanyl -
there would be all-party support for an enhanced strategy to put a stop to
the carnage.

There is a growing chorus of voices, though.

Liberal Leader Dr. David Swann, who headed the NDP's mental health review,
has been steadfast in his view the province needs to declare a public
health emergency to combat the crisis.

And now one of Alberta's top cops is pushing for more action.

In an interview with the Canadian Press, Calgary Police Chief Roger
Chaffin said the province has to take more aggressive action dealing with
the "demand side" for the drugs.

"We need to get these people out of the lifestyle they're in and get them
into more healthy lifestyles, improve their families, improve their
wellness in this community," he said.

To him, that means more treatment spaces.

Addicts told they have to wait 30 days to get treatment aren't going to
come back in 30 days.

And on that item, the government has fallen short.

Yes, there has been action to improve access to drugs to reverse
overdoses, improve opioid replacement therapy and beef up prescription
drug monitoring, plus funding to help the start-up of supervised drug
consumption sites.

These are important steps, but they nip at the edges when it comes to
helping a lot of existing addicts.

Whether Swann is right declaring an emergency, or Chaffin has it correct
in calling for immediate action, both get to the heart of the matter that
more needs to be done.

As recent as last month, Alberta's deputy health minister, Brandy Payne,
suggested declaring a public health emergency wasn't appropriate, and has
said it is a complex problem for which there is no "quick fix."

No one is asking for a quick fix, but for the government to show
determination to deal with this problem.

Money may not be something the province has in ample supply, but you'd be
hard-pressed to find someone to say fighting opioid deaths isn't money
well-spent.
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