A METHADONE CLINIC IS MERELY THE FIRST STEP TO FREE NEEDLES, CRACK PIPES

Editor:

I read the article in The Daily Observer on Aug. 22 advising of a
methadone clinic opening in Pembroke. As a former resident of
Pembroke, this issue concerns me.

I have been involved as a volunteer in the inner City of Ottawa for
many years and can attest that there are people who have been on
methadone, some for over 20 years. Many are poly drug users and
still continue taking illegal drugs. They have basically replaced an
illegal drug with a legal one but are still not drug-free.

Abstinence is not the goal and if it isn't, then the wheel of
addiction will only grow as more and more people will be added to
it. It is to be noted that it is harder to withdraw from methadone
than heroin. This is considered harm reduction and the next phase I
can assure you is a needle exchange followed by crack pipes.

This clinic will hire two nurses and a support worker that is
covered under OHIP, and we wonder why the escalating cost to our
health system. How much does the methadone cost and if it is
considered a health issue and need, then why not cover it?

The most disturbing part of the story is that Ms. Daiter could not
estimate the eventual number of clients that will utilize the
program and she quotes, it seems to be a bigger issue than what
we're seeing now. This is not a scientific survey that studied
the needs before implementing this clinic but rather a need that
creates and builds an empire on the backs of addicts.

Would you want your child to enter a methadone clinic that permeates
his addiction in a different form, or would you want them in
treatment with abstinence as the goal?

Sadly, harm reduction is for the poor and treatment for the rich.

Scotland has revisited its methadone program and have placed a
two-year limit on it, then the next phase would be treatment.

The federal government's new drug strategy is prevention, treatment
and enforcement. Let us as a society stop sending mixed messages to
our children -don't do drugs but here are some needles, don't do
drugs but here are some crack pipes, don't do drugs but walk by the
methadone clinic in the middle of the city that replaces illegal
drugs with a legal one (yet a drug just the same).

Our actions speak louder than words. There are many across this land
lately that are questioning the validity of these harm reduction
programs and I believe with reason. I would encourage readers to
start checking this out and asking questions. Please check out our
website at www.saferottawa.ca.

Andre Bigras,

Drug Prevention Network of Canada ( www.DPNOC.ca)