CHANGE NEEDED IN DRUG TREATMENT STRATEGY

To the editor:

Mike Howell's article ("Needle exchange numbers drop drastically," Mar. 12)
indicating dropping stats as a result of changes in the efforts to handle
Vancouver's drug problem sparked my interest.

Mr. Howell has been doing good work on reporting the drug scene this year
from many different angles. What struck me most was how Mr. Howell
demonstrated the willingness for the enforcement and harm reduction groups
to take credit for a drop in overdose deaths.

While obviously there are significant changes in the death rate, my phone
has not been ringing less; it has been ringing more. I work in the
prevention and treatment side of handling the drug problem.

While I have great personal stats in both prevention and treatment (over 70
per cent longterm success), by highlighting being drug-free and using
totally natural remedies for addiction or for coping with life's
difficulties, my efforts lack the big numbers.

It would be great to see Mr. Howell write about a big change of strategy in
prevention and treatment that begins creating a city without addiction.
That is part of the plan isn't it?

Over to the next drug-free player.

Tibor Palatinus

Narconon Vancouver Society