HELP FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSERS

We applaud Mayor Wellington Webb's decision to spend his last year in
office fighting alcohol and drug abuse by increasing prevention, treatment
and enforcement efforts.

Sadly, sufficient treatment resources aren't available in Denver for those
of our neighbors who are plagued by devils that many of us, thankfully,
never have to battle. Their lives often are a vicious cycle of substance
abuse with occasional brief periods of lucidity and sobriety after detox.

Last week, Webb asked the Denver City Council for $1 million for abuse
programs, including $450,000 to establish another drug court and $250,000
to fund a study on the feasibility of opening a treatment facility on the
model of the highly successful Betty Ford Center. Also, $100,000 would go
to the Denver Public Schools for prevention programs at the middle-school
level.

Webb's action couldn't have come at a more critical time: The number of
people treated at emergency rooms for drugs and alcohol in Denver is nearly
three times the national average. Denver racked up nearly 600 emergency
room drug episodes per 100,000 people last year, compared with slightly
more than 200 episodes per 100,000 population nationwide. Most of the
Denver emergency room visits involved alcohol abuse, followed by cocaine,
heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines.

Yet facilities to effectively treat substance abuse are sadly lacking - not
only in the city but statewide.

"We get people in the (emergency room) with substance problems, and we have
nowhere to send them for treatment," said Dr. Ed Casper, director of Denver
Health.

Webb, whose own son has battled addiction, recognizes the need for
treatment facilities. "As I have gotten older, I know very few families who
have not been touched by alcohol or drug addiction," Webb said. "They don't
always talk about it, and, in some cases, they don't claim the family member."

Webb notes that the wealthy or people in drug court programs can get
treatment. "If you have a job and are fighting addiction every day, there
is no program set up for you," Webb said.

Webb declared war on drugs in 1999, naming Adam Brickner as the city's
first anti-drug czar last year. His latest initiative, with its emphasis on
treatment and prevention, is a critical element in combating drug and
alcohol abuse.

Webb recognizes that our fellow human beings with drug or alcohol problems
do not need our condemnation or our contempt. They need our help.

Although Webb's legacy includes a goodly share of highly visible
bricks-and-mortar amenities, his anti-drug initiative could prove an
equally enduring bequest. We wish him success and urge the City Council to
support him in this crucial endeavor.