SUBSTANCE ABUSE SOLUTIONS IN THE CITY STYMIED BY LACK OF FUNDING,
RESOURCES

The ideas are there. The funding is not.

That seemed to be gist of information coming out of a substance abuse
networking session held Wednesday. Organized as part of Drug Awareness
Week, about 20 people who work in substance abuse treatment and
education gathered at the Lindsay office of the Haliburton, Kawartha,
Pine Ridge District Health Unit to discuss strategies, trends and
solutions to substance abuse problems.

Needle and condom exchange programs and how to facilitate them were
discussed, as was how to reach at-risk children and their parents
through the school system.

Despite some great ideas that all agencies agreed would be helpful,
most came down to a lack of resources and cash.

Brian Mitchell, project consultant with the Centre for Addiction and
Mental Health, mentioned the need for a needle exchange program in the
City of Kawartha Lakes.

He wanted to know why there wasn't one.

Deb Weekes, clinic co-ordinator for the Ontario Addiction Treatment
Centre told the group there used to be an exchange in Lindsay. Now,
one person in Lindsay does it from their home and takes the needles to
the Peterborough AIDS Resource Network's exchange program.

"There is a huge need," agreed Ms Weekes, "and I agree 100 per cent."
She said the need also extends to condoms.

Alison Kelly, an addictions counsellor with 4Cast (Four Counties
Addiction Services Team Inc.) agreed.

She told the group that 4Cast has a basket of condoms that is cleaned
out on a daily basis. She re-iterated the need for a local needle
exchange program, saying she's heard of people picking needles up from
the disposal area of the hospital.

The problem with an exchange, Ms Kelly said, was that it had to fit
mandates and budgets. And the hours of operation would also be a
problem. The population using a needle exchange are "not 9 to 5," nor
would they come in during a short weekly window to pick up clean needles.

"The reality is, people are injecting drugs out there," Mr. Mitchell
said.

Ward 9 Councillor Sal Polito asked Mr. Mitchell about liability
issues. Mr. Mitchell agreed there were liabilities, and said a needle
exchange program would have to take place in a "proper and responsible
manner."

Todd Meredith, a community support worker with Canadian Mental Health
Association, said, "Let's be honest. There's going to be some backlash
in the communities." He mentioned an effort in Oshawa where the John
Howard Society, Canadian Mental Health Association and Salvation Army
have joined forces to deliver not only needles and condoms, but also
coffee, food and counselling.

"If you're going to go against the community (you should) band
together and do it," said Mr. Meredith.

The idea was supported because of the size of the City of Kawartha
Lakes, and a mobile unit would be able to cover the ground, and
various organizations could staff it on a rotating basis.

Funding was raised as an issue, and Mr. Mitchell said, "We missed that
boat a couple of years ago when permanent funding was available."

"It's a very progressive thought. It's happened in other communities,"
said Ms Weekes.

Mr. Polito said those interested should "co-ordinate our abilities and
expertise for the benefit of the whole."

Kawartha Lakes Police Service Community Service Officer Tammy Brydon
said from the police point of view, the problem is not drugs, it's
alcohol.

"Alcohol is the biggest issue," she said. The vandalism, fights and
broken windows are weekly occurrences, she said. And when school
dances have pay-duty officers to control drug and alcohol consumption,
it's a big problem.

Just recently she says two students were taken to hospital from a
school dance with alcohol poisoning.

And parents are in denial, said many of those networking.

Const. Brydon said parents frequently say their kids weren't drunk;
they were sick. Or they downplay the importance of having or smoking
marijuana.

When substance abuse became the next topic of debate, Brenda Morrison
of the Trillium Lakelands District School Board said, "We're seeing a
horrendous problem with our Grade 9s."

Many others agreed, saying the time to educate the students was in
Grades 5, 6 and 7. By Grade 8 and 9, they're too concerned with being
cool and feeling too much peer pressure to care about substance abuse
education.

Ms Morrison pointed out that the need is not just in Lindsay. She
works with many students in the north of the city, and says, "those
kids are isolated." They won't come to Lindsay. And she supported
classroom initiatives, rather than centering students out. "A lot of
them that are getting into it are hurting kids," she said.

Mr. Mitchell said the answer was to reach out to the junior students.
"They're still listening to us."

Someone else suggested sending home information with the Grade 9
orientation package.

Attendees to the session agreed to keep in touch with each and help
each other stay updated.

The networking session was organized by the Kawartha Lakes Drug
Awareness Group and facilitated by Dawn Austin, health promoter with
the health unit.