MAPLE RIDGE DRUG-PREVENTION PLAN PUTS PIECES TOGETHER

It doesn't have to cost a lot of money to put into place a pile of
recommendations on curbing alcohol and drug addiction in Maple Ridge.

Much of the final report of the substance misuse prevention task force
can be implemented by agencies already in place, "which means you
don't need a whole whack of money to come into the community to do the
work," Marika Sandrelli told council Monday.

About three-quarters of the recommendations in the report could be
achieved that way, added Cheryl Ashlie, chair of the task force, as
well as the local school board.

The remainder could be done through a coordinator who could be funded
through a federal grant.

The report, Putting the Pieces Together, results from the Lower
Mainland Municipal Association, which in 2003 directed municipalities
to come up with drug strategies.

The Maple Ridge version, the first to focus on prevention, has 33
recommendations in four categories: substance prevention across the
life span; preventing drug use among youth; harm reduction; and
improving the community's ability to prevent drug use.

"This document comes from the voices of the community," said Coun.
Judy Dueck, who sat on the task force.

"[Drug addiction] is a medical condition that these people have. We
really do have to listen to what was presented and what was in the
document," Dueck said.

However, it may be up to the community at large, rather than council,
to implement it, she pointed out.

First among the top 10 of the 33 recommendations: developing a program
for mothers and mothers-to-be who are addicted to drugs.

Without support, women are just driven underground, said
Sandrelli.

Women also face the added threat of having their children seized by
the government if they go to traditional sources for help for their
addiction, Mayor Gordy Robson later noted.

Getting help for seniors with drug or alcohol addiction was second on
the list.

"The seniors in this community are desperately crying for support,"
Sandrelli said.

Organizing a forum to prevent prescription drug misuse, especially
among seniors, was third on the list, while creating a campaign to
combat drunk driving was fourth.

Next was devising a campaign against teenage smoking, directed mainly
to young girls.

"Health issues as a result of tobacco use is the number one health
cost," Sandrelli said. "This community has a high percentage of smokers."

The next three suggestions involved sharing what was learned with
other communities, getting more stories in the media and developing a
public education campaign.

Getting kids involved with creating a drug-prevention campaign, using
both public art and the Internet were the final two of the top 10.

Sandrelli also suggested Maple Ridge and Pitt Meadows host the first
annual drug-use prevention summit, supported by Coun. Linda King in a
motion to council.

Robson, though, said he objected to the harm reduction parts of the
report.

"I can't support harm reduction. I think we hurt people when we do
that. We don't help them."

One suggestion says local access should be provided to methadone
programs, including intake, counselling and doctor visits. Methadone
is a legal alternative to heroine.

Sandrelli said methadone is in such short supply its street value is
higher than heroine. "Detox from methadone is more painful and more
scary than detox from heroine." Two deaths have been caused
recently by methadone overdoses, she said.

The task force, formed in spring 2004, involved 23 agencies,
everything from school board to police to mental health to the
Salvation Army.

United Way and Fraser Health funding allowed the hiring in 2005 of
Sandrelli, a director with the Maple Ridge Treatment Centre, to
coordinate the work and write the report.

Her research led her to interview 233 people - everyone from
homessless people, prostitutes, politicians, police and school
teachers. Six workshops were also part of the research.