CHANCE NOW TO REVIEW ADDICTION STRATEGY

To the editor:

In response to your May 25 article "KGH Chief of Staff wants to
Address Methadone Issue" I would be remiss in my duties as a resident
if I did not respond.

The agencies that have for years referred their clients to this form
of treatment will be remiss in theirs, if they do not respond.

Dr. Robert Ross has handed the City of Kelowna, the Interior Health
Authority, Health Services, Health Planning and Addiction Services, to
name a few, a golden opportunity to review one component of what many
consider a harm reducing approach to addiction services.

Methadone is one part of what is currently considered a harm reducing
strategy for addiction services.

What an opportunity to review its success, or failure, in our area,
prior to adopting it as policy.

A complete and thorough review, re-assessment, and evaluation of these
150 clients, will provide invaluable insight into the effectiveness of
this modality of treatment. The results will speak for themselves.

If Dr. Ross's prediction is accurate, that an additional 300 people
require this form of treatment we'd better get busy.

After abandoning this type of addict for over 25 years now, we owe it
to them, their families and their children to do what's right in this
situation.

If you do not know what the right decision is, then you should get out
of the way, and get someone in who does.

There is a lot to be learned from this opportunity, whether we will or
not, is another question.

Russ Cunnington,

Kelowna