DRUG TREATMENT BILL APPLAUDED

The mother of a former teen drug addict is applauding a bill introduced in
the legislature Wednesday that will enable the government to confine young
addicts for treatment three times longer than current legislation.

Audrey Holliday said the bill, which amends two-year-old legislation aimed
at protecting children abusing drugs, is a good start.

The bill, one of 12 introduced on the second day of the spring sitting of
the Alberta legislature, boosts the current five-day period of confinement
to 10 days with a provision for a judge to extend it to 15 days, if deemed
necessary.

Holliday, who co-founded a group called Parents Empowering Parents, said
young people are still often craving drugs and physically ill when they
are released from rehabilitation after five days and often fall back to
their addiction.

That means some parents have had to have their children apprehended and
put through the process repeatedly--some up to six times--before they beat
the addiction, she said.

"When they are released after five days, they are just in a state of detox
where they are really craving," she said. "They're angry, they're really
fragile and their chances of relapse in fairly high."

She said the amendment, if passed this spring, will reduce the costs of
the system and the emotional costs on children and their families.

"The kids who have recovered from this program know they needed more
time," she added.

Calgary MLA Heather Forsyth, who introduced Bill 6 -- the Protection of
Children Abusing Drugs Amendment Act--said parents, treatment staff and
police all suggested a longer period of confinement was necessary for
positive outcomes.

She said the amendment also calls for increased involvement from parents,
who would have to attend a mandatory information meeting about the process
before it can begin to determine if there are other alternatives.

The province is also amending its two-year old Lobbyist Act despite the
fact that the flagship bill of Premier Ed Stelmach when he first took
office has yet to be implemented.

The bill was part of the premier's campaign vow to govern openly and
transparently, but the lobbyist registry has yet to begin operation. The
amendments will "fine-tune" the bill, said Justice spokesman David Dear.

Other bills introduced Wednesday will enable landowners to enter dispute
resolution processes to resolve disputes with energy companies, allow for
tougher and more creative penalties for people who violate fisheries laws
and expand the powers of the chief medical officer of health.