METHADONE PATIENTS' PROGNOSIS IMPROVES

Health Region May Find Space For Program

The Saskatoon Health Region will try to ensure a methadone treatment
program -- which helps drug addicts control cravings -- continues without
interruption, despite a threat of eviction from its landlord, a health
region official said Monday.

"Clearly, it would be in our best interest . . . We would want that project
to continue," said Greg Drummond, manager of mental health services with
the region.

Dr. Brian Fern, whose general medical practice operates in an office in the
same building as the Eighth Street Co-op grocery store, was notified Jan.
13 that his lease would expire at the end of January. The notice from
Saskatoon Co-operative Association, which owns the building, informed him
the Co-op would not renew the lease.

Fern was told he was being evicted because he had missed the
180-day-prior-to-expiry deadline for renewal.

He has a real estate agent looking for other locations and Drummond has
said the health region would consider providing a space for him to rent.

But Fern doesn't want to move because of the expense, inconvenience and
disruption.

He is waiting for the Co-op association to reply to his request for a
meeting to discuss the lease.

Marcus Davis, president of the Co-op board of directors did not return
phone calls Monday.

Co-op property manager David Marchant asked Fern two years ago to
discontinue the methadone portion of his practice, Fern said.

When he asked Marchant in January if that program was the reason for the
eviction, Marchant said he would not comment on that subject, Fern said.

Fern believes the landlord's real objection is to the methadone program but
won't admit it because it may violate the human rights code.

The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission would investigate such a complaint
if one were launched because it appears Fern may be the subject of
discrimination because he serves people with a disability, chief
commissioner Donna Scott said Monday.

Fern suspects the Co-op decision may have been made by staff without the
elected board knowing all the benefits of the methadone program, which he
says out-weigh the negatives of having recovering addicts visiting regularly.

Most recovering addicts are so grateful for the opportunity to rejoin
normal society that they respect the Co-op for housing the program that
many feel has saved their lives, Fern said.

For that reason, most would never bite the hand that feeds them, he said.

As well, the Co-op, like many other retailers, is spared the theft that
would probably occur if addicts were denied methadone and returned to
narcotic habits that can cost $300 per day, Fern said. Most addicts cannot
earn enough by honest means to support the cost.

Stolen property usually garners only one-third of its value when re-sold,
Fern said. Thus, it would take close to $1,000 per day in stolen
merchandise to support a $300 habit.

Whatever happens with his lease and location, Fern said he will not operate
a methadone-only practice. The casual interaction with ordinary,
non-addicted people in the waiting room of an office located in a normal
business community is therapeutic for addicts who must adjust to living
within society again, Fern said.

Many of Fern's other patients have told him they didn't even know there was
a drug-treatment program at the office, he said.