PRESSURE OFF METHADONE CLINIC

Red Deer's methadone clinic will be under less pressure to serve
Central Alberta drug addicts now that Calgary has opened two new facilities

Phil Rauch, executive director of the Central Alberta AIDS Network,
told police committee members up to 100 Calgary clients will no longer
have to come to Red Deer.

"There is a humane side to addictions. We have to look at crime and
everything else, but these people need help to," said Phil Hyde,
chairman of the policing committee.

"I think Phil's figures show some tremendously good results for the
short time that clinic has been in operation."

The Central Alberta Methadone Program, opened 11 months ago at 4611
50th Ave., will now service only 150 clients who live in the region.

With the opening this month of the Calgary facilities, 100 drug
addicts who had to come to Red Deer will now have a treatment program
in their own city.

"There is no rise in crime attributable to the fact this clinic was
providing a much needed service to people from Calgary," said Rauch,
admitting there have been rumours circulating that out-of-town addicts
were engaging in criminal activities while in the city.

"They only came her to see their physicians, so it was a periodic
visit to Red Deer - same day - and they had to have transportation
back to their own community in order to access the clinic," he added.
"Even if they were motivated to commit crime, they didn't have the
opportunity to do that."

Rauch also told members of the committee there is confusion within the
Red Deer community about what the facility provides.

He said many people do not know the difference between methadone,
which is used to treat opiate addiction -- notably morphine and heroin
- - and crystal meth, an illegal street drug now widely used by many
practising addicts in the city.

"One of the things that Phil said that really hit the nail on the
head, and that was the misconception between methadone and
Methamphetamine (crystal meth)," said Red Deer city RCMP Supt. Jim
Steele, who praised the mandate and work of the clinic. "I think a
large segment of the community doesn't know the difference between the
two."

Rauch said the next proactive step for the community to fight
addiction is to finally build its proposed treatment facility.

Although the 20-bed treatment centre, modelled after Calgary's Alpha
House, has been approved by the province, a government internal
funding squabble has yet to be settled, said Rauch.

He said he also expects there will be further concerns within the
community as to the future location of the new facility.

"That one will be a little bit different in the sense that everybody
thinks it is a good idea and has a family member who can use the
service, but there will be concerns of, `I don't want it in my
neighbourhood, or near my business because of property values," said
Rauch, adding the facility will cost about $750,000 a year to operate.

"We fully expect that is the type of resistance that will
come."

He said community groups and other stakeholders in each proposed
treatment centre location will be fully notified and asked for their
input.