NO-SMOKING RULE CRUSHES METH FIGHTERS

Quitters' Hell: All Stressed Up And Too Few Places To Go

Quitting crystal meth or other street drugs is tough enough, but
simultaneously giving up smoking is too much for some Vancouver Island teens.

A no-smoking rule imposed by the Vancouver Island Health Authority at the
youth detox centre means some beds are empty in a facility that usually has
a waiting list.

The five detox beds were full until three months ago, when smoking was
forbidden, said Pat Griffin, executive director of Victoria Youth
Empowerment Society, the agency that runs the detox centre. The facility
caters to teens aged 13 to 18.

"We're now at about 75 per cent capacity and it's dropping each month,"
Griffin said. "A lot of referral agents say kids are not even willing to
consider it because of the no-smoking [rule]. The kids are just saying 'no'"

Others are leaving before completing the program, which means they are more
likely to revert to drug use. Seventy per cent of participants used to
complete the program, but that's down to half and many of those leaving
cite the smoking policy.

Most are expected to stay 10 to 12 days, but crystal meth users usually
have to stay longer, said Griffin, adding that the health authority's
decision to enforce the law is understandable, but frustrating. "I know
their hands are tied, but it seems to go against the idea of harm reduction."

While smoking is a health risk, other drugs are a more immediate threat,
said Griffin, who would like to see an exemption for the centre. "[The
young addicts] might not live long enough to see any impact from smoking."

Dianne Stevenson, the health authority's regional manager of tobacco
control, agreed the youth society is in a bind, but says VIHA has no choice
but to enforce federal law, which forbids anyone from providing tobacco to
people under 18. Allowing smoking in the residence also breaks local
clean-air bylaws.

"It's possible if they went outside to smoke their own cigarettes and, if
the staff had nothing to do with them getting those cigarettes, there would
be nothing illegal," Stevenson said.

Some facilities allow youths to have a limited number of cigarettes outside
every day. But Stevenson said there are ethical problems with allowing
residents as young as 13 to smoke in a facility that aims to improve their
health.

Dr. Richard Stanwick, chief medical health officer for the Capital Regional
District, said the younger people start smoking, the younger they suffer
tobacco-related diseases such as cancer and heart attacks. Detox is a good
opportunity to persuade young people to try replacements for nicotine,
which is also a drug, he argues. "How about if we just allowed drinking as
well? Every one of these drugs is a dependency."

Studies show that those who deal with all their addictions at once are less
likely to relapse, Stanwick said.

Griffin, however, said the studies so far have concentrated on adults, and
little information exists about how young people deal with the double whammy.