ADDICTS DILUTE CARE FOR MENTALLY ILL

Re: "Attack heroin addiction through compulsory detox," Nov. 27,
subsequent letters, and your editorial, "A mentality of entitlement," Nov. 30.

David Staples' ideas are timely. Alberta has enacted compulsory
treatment for teen drug addicts, and Saskatchewan is following suit.
Our provincial government and the Vancouver Island Health Authority
have chosen to hide the addiction problem under the umbrella of
mental health. This was done without consulting members of the
department of psychiatry or other front-line mental-health
professionals, who are now expected to deal with addicts when
treatment facilities are insufficient.

This dilutes the care available to the mentally ill and is a
disservice to those suffering from schizophrenia, bipolar mood
disorder and serious depression. The majority of persons I see are
under the influence of cocaine or crystal meth, consuming time we
should be spending on those with an acute mental illness.

Government must establish, fund and staff enough separate
detoxification and rehabilitation centres for primary substance
abusers, and enact compulsory treatment.

We cannot afford to let this problem escalate. Addiction services and
mental health services are being short-changed, and mental-health
staff should be allowed to do the job for which they were trained and
which they wish to follow.

A.B. Masters, MD,

Consultant psychiatrist,

Victoria Mental Health Centre.