THE HUMAN COST OF ADDICTION

Niece Died Of Drug Use, Mayor Reveals. 'Unfortunately, Her Story Is Not
Unique,' Tremblay Tells Delegates At Conference

Publicly baring a family tragedy, Montreal Mayor Gerald Tremblay yesterday
put a human face on the carnage wrought by drug abuse, telling an
international conference about a niece whose drug habit killed her.

In a speech during opening ceremonies of the world's first forum on drugs
and dependencies, Tremblay spoke with sorrow of Julie, a young woman who
prostituted herself on the streets of south-central Montreal to pay for
drugs and died of drug-related ailments.

"Unfortunately, the story of my niece is not unique," the mayor told some
of the 3,000 forum delegates and representatives of the world media.

"Seven years later, our family remains profoundly marked by this."

Tremblay's public disclosure surprised even his own staff.

In an interview, Tremblay said he and other family members felt compelled
to make people realize "this sort of thing" happens even in families with
all the advantages.

"Maybe people will get more involved," the mayor said, adding that
"communication" about substance abuse is vital, especially between generations.

About 15 months before her death, Julie sought - and received - six weeks
of treatment, said Tremblay who read a portion of a letter Julie wrote to
her younger sister in which she apologized for manipulating the younger
girl and then thanked her for "making me open my eyes" and seek treatment.

"I thank you because I'm in the process of saving my life," Julie wrote.

But without adequate follow-up resources, Julie yielded to pressures and
her final five months were spent "in hell" as a street prostitute and drug
user, Tremblay said. She died at 25.

Tremblay also invited the United Nations to establish a permanent drug and
dependencies secretariat in Montreal. Part of its mandate would be to
follow the forum's recommendations and action plan, which are to be
announced at closing sessions Friday.

Tremblay's wasn't the only testimonial from the podium yesterday.

Paul Okalik, premier of the northern territory of Nunavut, told the
assembly he's been sober for 11 years.

"Hello. My name is Paul and I'm an alcoholic," Okalik said, in the parlance
of an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.

Scores of delegates responded in kind. "Hello, Paul," rippled through the room.

Forum participants range from street workers to union stewards to leading
criminologists and academics. High-ranking government and law-enforcement
officials are also included in a forum that is also looking at gambling,
the impact of legal drugs - notably alcohol and tobacco - as well as
illicit drugs.

The geopolitics of the illegal drug trade - especially its links to
terrorist activities - drugs in sports, and substance abuse in the
workplace, along with the treatment and prevention of substance abuse, are
key themes.

An estimated 400 million people abuse illegal drugs and the drug trade is
rivaled only by the arms trade in size, power and worth, according to
United Nations reports cited yesterday.

Countries fighting the war on international drug trafficking will lose the
battle unless they develop a global strategy to combat the problem, RCMP
Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli told delegates.

"We must share intelligence, share information on a worldwide basis,"
Zaccardelli said during a speech on drugs and organized crime.

"In the past, our response has been too balkanized. If we are not truly
integrated, we won't win this fight."

katherine wilton of the gazette contributed to this report

On the Web: www.worldforumdrugs-dependencies.com