LEGISLATURE APPROVES BILL THAT ALLOWS PARENTS TO FORCE DRUG-ADDICTED TEENS
INTO DETOX PROGRAMS

EDMONTON - All parties in the Alberta legislature agreed Thursday to
fast-track a private member's bill that allows parents to force
drug-addicted teenagers into detox programs.

Premier Ralph Klein said Bill 202, submitted by Red Deer MLA Mary Anne
Jablonski, would be pushed through final reading quickly and
proclaimed into law as soon as possible, possibly as early as next
week.

To get it passed, Jablonski had to accept amendments that limited the
scope of the bill to only allow parents to compel their children to go
through five days of supervised detoxification.

Jablonski had originally wanted parents to have the ability to commit
their children to a much longer process of drug treatment and
counselling, which many believed would be deemed unconstitutional.

The move also comes only one day after the provincial government set
aside more than $4 million in its budget Wednesday to increase
capacity at drug-treatment facilities to deal with the expected influx
of teens addicted to crystal meth.

Earlier this week, the Liberals told Jablonski they would not support
the fast-tracking of her bill, a move that would have made it almost
impossible to pass before the spring session ends on May 19. In an
emotional speech in the legislature Tuesday, Jablonski broke down and
begged all parties to help pass the bill.

Liberal house leader Laurie Blakeman said Thursday her party relented
after receiving significant public pressure not to hold up the bill.