STUNNED BY AFM STATEMENT

Re: Treatment aims at 'harm reduction' (Dean Pritchard, Nov. 29).

I am in shock. Since when is total abstinence seen as "totally
unrealistic" when it comes to saving people's lives? Addiction to any
harmful drug kills and 14 years ago the good people at AFM helped me
to see this. As a result of this assistance I was able to gain the
confidence and strength to organize an alcohol intervention for my
spouse. He has been totally abstinent since and we wouldn't have it
any other way.

"Harm reduction" really concerns me, especially when I read Addiction
Foundation CEO John Borody's statement, "Sometimes they come in and
they want to work on their alcohol and they are comfortable with their
cocaine use and sometimes vice-versa." Comfortable is right! Every
addict in Winnipeg will be thrilled to see that AFM is assisting their
denial and allowing them to stay "comfortable" with their habit.

I can only imagine the frustration that the well-trained AFM
counsellors have to endure while working with a client who is not
totally clean and sober. My personal experience has always been that
there is no coherent conversation or progress to be made with anyone
under the influence of any mind-altering substance.

Raise the bar, AFM, or this major social problem will continue to
destroy lives of addicts and their families!

Barb Potkonjak,

Winnipeg

(Woman speaks from experience.)