COURTING COCAINE

Justice Program Puts Addicts Back On Course Through
Treatment

A couple of years ago, Oliver Weymann, a 20-year coke addict, was
facing at least five years in jail for trafficking. This week, he took
a judge out to lunch.

It's been a long haul for the Edmonton resident who grew up in a
wealthy Vancouver family, started his own drywalling business at age
20 and dabbled in cocaine recreationally.

Soon, the weekend coke use became a daily must and his company rapidly
went bust. "I basically snorted that away," says Weymann, 38.

He quit coke for two years but a move to Calgary in the mid-90s got
him all the drugs he wanted. Within two days, he was back on the coke.

Not the kind of guy you'd think a judge would let buy her lunch. Then,
again, Edmonton provincial court Judge Darlene Wong isn't your typical
judge, meting out punishment to a steady stream of offenders traipsing
through the courtroom.

She runs Edmonton's drug treatment court, one of several such
initiatives across the country -- programs that divert non-violent
drug-addicted offenders into treatment and support services.

Weymann was busted after selling crack to an undercover Edmonton cop
in December 2006 and just barely got accepted into drug treatment
court because of the seriousness of his charges.

"You know what? They didn't want me (in drug treatment court). They
just thought I was a badass."

Weymann graduated from the program in March and flew to Ottawa this
week to attend the second annual Canadian Association of Drug
Treatment Courts conference.

Wong was there as well, along with a host of other judges, addictions
experts, probation case managers, recovered addicts and others.

Weymann figured it was as good a time as any to invite Wong out for
lunch. "I owe my life to the drug court program," he says. "I was on
the road to death. I've been kidnapped, robbed, beaten, stabbed ..."

WIFE LEFT

Because of his addiction, his wife left him in 2002, two months after
their son was born. He moved to Edmonton and turned to crime to pay
for his coke.

"I used to support my habit by going to construction yards at night
and stealing from trailers."

He spent three years in jail for theft before being busted for
trafficking. "I was spent. I was totally done with my drug-addicted
life. I hated my life, I hated myself."

Now Weymann owns his own drywall business again. "It's scary. I'm
doing this all on my own with my own money. Obviously, I have no
credit, right? Everything I do is with cash. But ... it's exciting."

Also at the conference was former cocaine addict Tina Way, 35, who
told the delegates her story. She lost her home, her three kids and
her job because of the pull of crack. Homeless, she sold sex for drugs
for four years.

Arrested for trafficking a year ago, the Edmonton resident opted for
drug treatment court and rehab. Her one-year "clean and sober"
anniversary is Dec. 6, which she plans to celebrate at her Cocaine
Anonymous meeting.

Of the 80-odd offenders who've entered Edmonton's drug treatment court
program over the past three years, only 16 have graduated -- a 20%
success rate. (Participants are required to report to court weekly for
about a year after they are released from rehab.)

It doesn't sound hugely beneficial, but compared to the 7% success
rate with treatment alone, it's impressive.

Realistically, if we want to do better than that, we have to intervene
before kids get hooked in the first place.