CITIES TOLD TO TARGET METH PROGRAMS

Random attempts to prevent drug and alcohol abuse may cause a
community more harm than good, according to the deputy provincial
medical health officer.

In a cautionary speech delivered to the Local Government Management
Association of B.C. convention in Kelowna last week, Dr. Eric Young
warned civil servants from around the province that community task
forces and municipal drug strategies are a tricky undertaking.

He cautioned such strategies must be targeted at the right groups,
evaluated and should address the social context producing the abuse.

He said communities should identify groups of users and why they are
using before deciding whether messaging is the best route to take.

Graphing the burden of disease by risk factors such as illicit drugs,
physical inactivity and tobacco use, Young told city administrators
that low fruit and vegetable intake, occupational risks, alcohol,
tobacco use and high cholesterol all factor higher in mortality and
chronic disease levels than illicit drugs.

While the economic impact of substance abuse costs Canadians an
estimated $6 billion annually, 75 per cent of the costs of drugs and
alcohol on society are due to legal drugs.

As such, the provincial medical health office encourages communities
to involve users and youth in any discussion about reducing substance
abuse and to ask for the public health department's help.

Recreational programming and well-developed community trail systems
may provide a better focus than substance-specific education programs,
particularly for youth, he said.

"It may be that there is nothing for kids to do in the evening that is
causing part of the problem."

In addition, any effort to target substance abuse must consider the
myriad outside social issues that cause substance use to become abuse.

Of the population who have substance abuse issues, 40 to 50 per cent
are also struggling with mental illness.

"As a Canadian society we're very goal oriented . . . It's a natural
reaction. Here's the problem, let's zoom in on it," he said. "But
sometimes when you zoom in on it you have to zoom out again and look
at the big picture."

Providing context to local efforts to deal with crystal
methamphetamine, Young offered up provincial usage statistics. Of the
overdose deaths that occurred in 2004 - the latest provincial
statistics - only 33 had crystal meth in their blood stream. The
average age of the deceased was 38.

In fact, the number of deaths due to illicit drug use overall dropped
to 150 in 2004 from a peak of 248 in 2000.