AREA TO LAUNCH NEW DRUG STRATEGY

Sunrise Health Region is getting $450,000 from the province for its
drug strategy, says Graham Addley.

The Minister of Health Living Services praised designers of the
Sunrise Health Region area's drug strategy, saying it's a first step
in ensuring every child in Saskatchewan has "the best chance to grow
up addiction free."

He addressed a group of 43 members of the community who contributed to
the strategy at a press conference to announce it on Thursday, June 7,
saying it is part of the provincial government's Project Hope.

The provincial funding will allow hiring a prevention co-ordinator,
establishment of a needle exchange and outreach to intravenous drug
users and development of a program for youth with two outreach workers
as well as a family treatment program, he said.

Premier Lorne Calvert announced his Project Hope - a new three-year
plan to prevent and treat substance abuse - on August 4, 2005. The
government committed $10 million of new annual funding for the
project, based on recommendations contained in the report Healthy
Choices in a Healthy Community by Addley.

Highlights include: improving access to treatment facilities and
services, particularly for Saskatchewan youth and other at-risk
groups; strengthening drug supply reduction measures; and creating a
directorate within Saskatchewan Health with a strengthened prevention
focus.

"One of the key areas that I learned a couple of years ago is that
supervision is an incredibly important part of whether or not children
get into using drugs and alcohol," he said. The hours between 3 p.m.
and 6 p.m. are most important.

Addley said the goal of Project Hope is very simple. "It's to ensure
that we live in a province where every child had the best chance to
grow up addiction free."

Addley said the government wants to make treatment more accessible,
flexible and effective; will co-ordinate efforts, improve knowledge
and allow communities to identify their needs; and, make it more
difficult to manufacture and sell drugs in the province.

Doing those things required community participation in developing the
strategy and will require even more work in implementation, he said.

"We recognize your hard work and the dedication that went into this
project. You are the individuals who work with addiction on a daily
basis."

Addley said the drug strategy offers hope although "there are no
guarantees. You can do all the right things and there are no guarantees.

"Together we're taking action against the effects of addiction in our
community."