KEEPING THE TREATMENT PILLAR ON THE PUBLIC AGENDA

Thank you for your wisdom in championing drug addiction treatment. I
have been a drug addiction physician in the Lower Mainland for several
years.

In most cases, detox is an essential first step in treatment. The lack
of facilities is acute. As one example, I have yet to see any detox
beds on the North Shore (population 170,000). Addicts are impulsive
and when they seek treatment they cannot wait for weeks, let alone
months!

In addition, 40 per cent of addicts have severe psychiatric illnesses
and it is a catch-22 situation. Often healers in addiction say they
cannot properly tend to addicts with severe psychiatric problems. Yet
often psychiatric units are unwilling to look after patients while
still addicted.

In any case, few psychiatric beds or places for continuing outpatient
care exist in this province. It is double speak to say that treatment
places exist but that they haven't been "adequately identified." If
they have not been identified, they do not exist.

Hopefully your editorial initiative will keep the essential
establishment of the treatment pillar on the public agenda.

Dr. Rodney Glynn-Morris,

West Vancouver