REGION UNVEILS NEW PLAN OF ATTACK ON DRUG ABUSE

Ambitious, Significant, Overdue.

That's how Moose Jaw police Chief Terry Coleman described a regional
drug strategy unveiled Thursday.

The multi-agency strategy, developed over two years with consultation
in an area from Craik south to the U.S. border, offers 21
recommendations to address specific issues in rural and urban communities.

Agencies from health care, justice, education, corrections and other
services came together "to assess what is in our region and what should be."

Broad recommendations are designed to reduce substance abuse, improve
community health, reduce supply and demand of illegal drugs, and
ensure appropriate consequences for those who abuse, he said.

"Enforcement and incarceration is only one tool in the array we
should use to enhance the quality of life."

With funding from all three levels of government expected, Coleman
hopes to see action "sooner rather than later."

Saskatchewan Health has allocated $425,000.

The strategy study found a gap between real substance abuse and
public perception.

"The difference with Moose Jaw is we tend to think of Moose Jaw as a
very quiet, family-oriented community, and often don't see what's
going on around us," said Sharon Erickson, Five Hills Health Region
alcohol and drug co-ordinator.

"The most often used, the most often abused is alcohol and people
don't always see the problem."

A significant number of people use marijuana and cocaine.

"We have an increase out in the community with cocaine. Almost every
third referral we're getting in our office is directly related to cocaine."

But Moose Jaw "isn't any worse" than other communities.

Drug and alcohol abuse has wide and deep impact on the community, said Coleman.

"Substance abuse and drug alcohol addiction is one of those social
issues that is the root cause of much of what we as police experience."

The impact surfaces in acquisitive (theft) crime, violent crime, gang
violence and drug distribution by organized crime.

"Other consequences of substance abuse are substantial pressures on
the health care system, our corrections facilities, education, the
families of those who abuse and the workplace."

Knowing the exact extent of drug abuse is made difficult by the
"twilight community" users live in, said medical health officer Dr.
Mark Vooght.

"It's quite a twilight population operating into the early hours of
the morning and coming to us late in the afternoon when they need
equipment to safely shoot up."

The three-year-old needle exchange program at public health exchanges
needles for about 50 addicts daily and thus prevents spread of
Hepatitis C, HIV virus and sexually-transmitted diseases.

"It is regrettable that injection drugs are used but we're gratified
to see we're at least having some insight into that twilight
community," said Vooght.

Erickson said concerns about prescription drug abuse involve mostly
over-prescribing certain sedatives and stimulants and seniors who
don't empty medicine cabinets often enough.

A provincewide program allows pharmacists to monitor for
double-doctoring to obtain certain drugs for abuse.