TOOL OF LAST RESORT

The Doer government tabled legislation this week that will allow
parents to force their drug-addicted children into detoxification
centres. It's a tool of last resort for parents who have nowhere else
to turn if their children are addicted to a drug that has taken over
their lives.

We support the initiative because, in some cases, it can help drug-
addicted youths turn their lives around.

The new law will allow parents to put their children in a
stabilization facility for seven days.

It's not addiction treatment. Rather, it's a way of getting the youth
off drugs long enough to get them to think straight so they may
consider voluntary treatment.

Too often parents who try to get their kids into treatment can't
because their child's judgment is clouded by chronic drug use.

Giving parents the power to put their children into a detoxification
centre at least gives them a chance of breaking the cycle long enough
to consider long-term help.

We often demand that people taking responsibility for themselves and
their children. This is one way of helping parents do just that.

The seriousness of drug addiction among youth has grown in recent
years with the addition of crack cocaine and crystal meth -- both
highly addictive substances -- as drugs of choice among teens.

Substance abuse experts tell us that crystal meth, a potentially
deadly drug, is the most addictive drug on the street. It's
inexpensive to buy and it's easy to make, using ingredients that can
be bought at most grocery stores.

As a result, more and more youth are being exposed to it. And unlike
alcohol or marijuana, experimenting with drugs like crack cocaine and
crystal meth can hook a user after only one or two uses, and it's
more difficult to quit.

More than ever before, parents, schools and government have to
address the problem of drug use among children, through education,
improved parenting and government initiatives like the one announced
this week.

We do want to ensure, though, that treatment centres have enough
capacity in their facilities to handle the influx of children sent
their way. There was some concern raised this week that there's
already a shortage of beds at addictions centres.

There's no point creating a new program like this if there are no
available beds. Healthy Living Minister Theresa Oswald ensured the
public that beds will be made available. We'll hold her to that.

This is a good program. And we want it to work.