THE MESS WITH METH

In the conclusion of our two-parter, Sam Cooper talked with parents
and authorities on what's available for treatment for drug addicts -
and the lack of viable options

Talking to parents of crystal meth addicts, two common themes jump out.

A child hooked on meth will mess up the whole family. And just
getting an addicted family member into treatment, let alone getting
them to stay in treatment, is a nightmare.

It comes down to a sickening dilemma that burns Kerry Jackson. The
White Rock woman's son, Ryan Jackson, committed suicide after
checking himself out of treatment in St. Paul's hospital, just 10
months after getting hooked hard on meth.

"Nine times out of ten (meth addicts) don't want help," Jackson says.

"Their own mind is taken over by a new mind hell-bent on getting
meth. Your mind is sick and you should be able to be forced into treatment.

"How can you ask for help if your mind is sick?"

But when Jackson tried to prove to authorities they should take Ryan
in - even setting up a lunch meeting and slipping away to a
restaurant bathroom to call police on him once - Ryan was able to
convince them he wasn't a threat to himself or others.

She secretly taped his meth-addled ramblings and kept letters written
under the influence of the drug. But these records weren't enough
proof to get Ryan secured in long-term addictions treatment.

"I am very frustrated with our laws that hinder parents with early
intervention ability,"Jackson said.

"The laws are completely unhelpful for those who are mentally ill or
mentally inhibited by drugs. We need to get addicts into long-term treatment."

MLA Gordon Hogg says his government is considering "safe care"
legislation similar to that in Alberta to keep drug-abusing youth in
custody if they are at risk of sexual exploitation.

But in a free society, he said, authorities can't just accept a
parent's word that a child is in need of treatment.

And for adult children, there is no getting around consent for drug treatment.

"Treatment workers say there has to be willingness on the part of the
addict to be successful.

"I would love to have a system where the state or someone would lock
addicts up until they are responsible," Hogg said.

"But usually it happens with young people, not adults."

Dr. Bill MacEwan, an addictions and psychosis expert working at Peace
Arch Hospital, acknowledges that parents rightly complain the Mental
Health Act it is not used enough to get drug addicts into treatment.

However, MacEwan said treatment without consent can easily backfire.

"Holding someone against their will is simplistic," he said.

"They just go back to the very same environment where they came from
(and abuse the drug again).

"The first thing you have to do in treatment is give a safe place to
live, where (addicts) are willing to call home. If it's full of
structure and rules, they can't handle it."

Bucking a rigid treatment program is exactly what happened in the
case of Peninsula resident Don Welsh's son. Concurrent meth addiction
and mental illness "has knocked (his son) around like a pinball"
between the street, jail and aborted treatment stays for four years.

The last time he was released from jail, Welsh's son was taken off
sleeping medication in a 12-step treatment program. He only made it
one day before getting high on meth and going back to jail.

Just as Welsh feared, when his son was released most recently, there
was inadequate support from authorities who were supposed to be
tracking his case.

"He was in a desperate position," Welsh said.

"(After release) he was stuck in the street and involved with his
so-called friends, who rip him off and hustle him."

In the absence of help from his son's parole officer, Welsh contacted
MLA Hogg's office for an intervention. Staff there worked the phones
and finally lined up treatment for Welsh's son in Surrey.

While thankful for the help from Hogg's team, Welsh wants
improvements in the treatment and rehabilitation system.

"We sidestepped people who weren't doing anything," Welsh said.

"It's fortunate (his son) is in treatment. But (authorities) didn't
have a plan. There should have been some kind of place for him to go."

Fraser Health Addictions leader Dr. Akbar Bayanzadeh said Welsh is right.

"Penal and community health services are two different entities,"
Bayanzadeh said.

"Part of rehabilitation should be follow up that is not in place now.

"We have to look at legislation improving connectivity between health
care, justice system, schools and parents."

Yet Hogg argues merging bureaucracy is not the way to improve case
handling for addicts, because it leads to communication break-downs
and inefficiency. He prefers an increasing move to community-based
services for addicts.

And there are already adequate standards for addict case handling in
place, Hogg said.

In Welsh's son's case, things just didn't get done.

"The probation officer did not have much of a plan in
place...sometimes people are overworked or can't provide (the right service.)"

The bottom line for Welsh and Jackson, plus medical experts MacEwan
and Bayanzadeh, is long-term treatment is key for crystal meth
addicts. Both parents point to the success of a unique treatment
centre in Italy.

Started by a philanthropist, the self-sustaining village can treat
clients for up to five years, has employment opportunities built into
its treatment program and provides permanent, or semi-permanent housing.

Jackson dreams of building something like the Italian village in the
Interior of B.C., but Hogg said for government, the cost would be prohibitive.

MacEwan countered it's a matter of priorities.

"Longer term treatment is a valid idea and I have been pushing for
it," MacEwan said.

"But it is a significant investment of resources. Government has to
make choices and they frankly have to feel public pressure to make the choice."

Kerry Jackson's online addiction resource tool for parents is
www.2020parenting.com.