WV HEARS SUBSTANCE ABUSE STRATEGY

SUBSTANCE abuse on the North Shore is a case of "willful blindness,"
according to West Vancouver Coun. Pam Goldsmith-Jones.

Quoting from the North Shore Substance Abuse Strategy, task force member
Goldsmith-Jones stated: "The affluence of much of the North Shore allows
people to purchase both alcohol and drugs with relative ease, and also
allows for the masking of substance abuse issues, because money allows for
the appearance of a normal lifestyle while substance abuse continues."

Goldsmith-Jones made her comments in response to a presentation on the
topic given by the North Shore Task Force on Substance Abuse.

Two members of the task force, North Vancouver City Coun. Craig Keating and
Dr. Brian O'Connor, a medical health officer for Vancouver Coastal Health
Authority, addressed West Vancouver council on March 3 regarding the
implementation of the North Shore Substance Abuse Strategy.

Keating noted that during 2001, the task force examined existing health and
other services available on the North Shore for the treatment of substance
abuse. The task force devised a strategy which aims to fill the needs not
covered by existing services.

This strategy was adopted by all participating members on the North Shore
in the spring of 2002.

The strategy, similar to that being implemented in Vancouver, is a four
pillar approach, and addresses:

* substance abuse prevention;

* treatment;

* harm reduction;

* crime prevention.

Keating said that the focus of the task force is to reduce harm to both
substance abusers and to their families and friends, who can also be
affected by problems surrounding substance abuse.

"We have to remember that we are dealing with people who need help. Too
many people from our communities have to go to the Downtown Eastside to
seek support for substance abuse problems," Keating said.

He added that help should be available to those in need within local
communities.

Keating noted the task force has begun to ignore jurisdictional boundaries
on the North Shore and instead seeks to combine efforts to optimize resources.

The strategy does not include big ticket items such as detox or rehab
centres. Instead, the plan is to implement local resources for modest
costs, such as training youth outreach workers as a front line in
prevention into the schools. The task force predicts that the strategy will
be complete and ready to implement by the summer of 2003.

West Vancouver District Coun. John Clark added that the costs of these
programs are an investment in North Shore communities.

"Anybody who is concerned about the costs at the outset needs to remember
that prevention is a great deal cheaper than curing the problems associated
with substance abuse."