LEGAL DRUG USE CAN'T BE OVERLOOKED

Smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol are both evil curses that lead
us down the path to drug addiction.

Many times that axiom has been pronounced ever since the health
hazards of smoking were revealed, and since alcohol was taken off the
prohibition list in the 1930s. Today, the same argument is before us
with regards to marijuana use, its prevalence within our society
matched against the potential social health and crime hazards smoking
pot can represent.

While for many of us, the thought of viewing smoking or drinking booze
as being associated with illicit drug abuse many not be a readily
evident link, not so says Dan Reist, resource unit director for the
Centre of Addictions Research B.C.

Speaking at a forum held Monday at Crossroads Treatment Centre in
Rutland, Reist said our frustration in dealing with drug abuse is
enhanced by our ignorance to smoking and drinking as a source from
which all drug addictions begin to flow.

"Even though in the media all of the attention is on illicit drugs the
real, major problem is caused by legal drugs, tobacco and alcohol,"
Reist told the Capital News (see story on page A3).

Reist suggests the burden on our social and health care systems can be
eased by directing more attention at tobacco and alcohol issues as
opposed to street people strung out on crystal meth or crack cocaine.

Reist advocates major shifts in the approach and addressing addiction
and how treatment is provided.

But when you consider how much money our governments milk in taxes
from alcohol and tobacco sales, you have to wonder how serious the
intent is to address 'legal drug' abuse and where it can lead.

Reist may be a lone voice in the wilderness right now, but more of us
need to heed what he is saying.