TWO DRUGGISTS WILL STEP IN FOR LOCAL STRUGGLING ADDICTS

Police Warned Of Potential Bizarre' Behaviour After Methadone Clinic
Closes

Community agencies are preparing for fallout from the probable closure
of Sault Ste. Marie's private methadone clinic next Monday.

Sault Ste. Marie Police Service officers are being warned of the
possibility of "bizarre," or even criminal behaviour related to drug
withdrawal, said Chief Bob Davies.

"If they come across or respond to a call of someone on the street
going through obvious drug withdrawal, we want to make sure they
recognize it as a medical condition and have the individual treated
medically as opposed to criminally," Davies said.

"I certainly don't think a cell is the place to put people who are
acting bizarre or disorderly because of withdrawal or drug-related
symptoms." But Davies stressed those committing Criminal Code offences
"will be treated dually: they'd be charged and they'd also be brought
to hospital, in custody, and be seen by a doctor."

The Ontario College of Pharmacists has given a Kitchener-based
pharmacy until March 13 to stop shipping methadone to the 25 clinics
operated by Ontario Addiction Treatment Centres.

The Sault's OATC, at 500 Queen St. E., claims approximately 150
clients trying to get off a dependence on opioids such as heroin,
morphine and derivatives such as the painkiller OxyContin.

The other, smaller methadone maintenance program in Sault Ste. Marie,
run by Algoma Health Unit's Community, Alcohol and Drug Assessment
program, has no resources to take on more patients. Program director
Elizabeth Larocque said the clinic is funded for 30 patients and is
overflowing with about 36.

The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, which refers patients to
either of the two local programs, was "caught off guard as anybody by
this," said Mike O'Shea, assistant planning consultant for
northeastern Ontario.

O'Shea says they have little contingency to deal with the fallout,
"partly because it's a private clinic. . . . This one has always been
at arm's length to us."

Pharmacist Jon MacDonald, who provides methadone for Algoma Health
Unit's methadone maintenance treatment program, agreed to take on
"some" OATC clients but said he doesn't have the resources for all
150.

MacDonald, who operates The Medicine Shoppe on Second Line West, told
The Sault Star last week a second outlet opening on Great Northern
Road has also agreed to take on a number of OATC patients.

Davies, who took a "neutral" position in getting methadone maintenance
in Sault Ste. Marie, nevertheless acknowledged the community hasn't
since seen anything like the cluster of mysterious deaths between 1991
and 2001 that the Ontario coroner's office attributed to morphine.

"We were certainly aware through the coroner's investigations this
could be in the best interests of our community, to have harm
reduction programs in our community to treat those who are addicted,"
he said.

"Although we weren't opposed to it, our position as a police service
is abstinence and say no to drugs.

"But we're not as naive to not know people are dependent on
prescription drugs, OxyContin and morphine, and illegal street drugs.

"We'd certainly rather see education and enforcement in dealing with
drug problems, so I guess they do complement each other."