TASK FORCE WORK ALMOST DONE

THE North Shore Task Force on Substance Abuse should have some concrete
proposals on programs, bylaw proposals and budgets soon, North Vancouver
City council was told on Monday night.

While not actually offering any services directly, the task force will
eventually co-ordinate and publicize services that are available to people
affected by substance abuse, Coun. Craig Keating said.

"We don't want to replace pre-existing institutions that offer health care
and don't want to create another level of bureaucracy, but we want to make
headway on this problem," he said.

Funding for drug and alcohol awareness training for school counsellors who
are already in place could be one of the projects aimed for in coming weeks.

Funding could come from the Coastal Health Authority, through the new task
force formed in 2000, Keating noted.

While services are being co-ordinated, the task force should ensure
services are not clustered in one geographical area, Coun. Bob Fearnley said.

"A neighbourhood can be negatively affected by clustering" that can attract
a significant number of substance abusers who may bring problems with them
to the community, he added.

The task force is looking into that, Keating said.

"One concern I've heard from people I've spoken to is that many people with
this health problem engage in criminal activity," said Coun. Barbara Perrault.

She noted that substance abuse is now more commonly seen as a health issue.

"Which comes first, the chicken or the egg?" said Perrault.

Substance abusers often commit crimes to support their addictions because
to publicly seek help forces them to be stigmatized, Coun. Keating responded.

"If my next door neighbour had cancer, I wouldn't expect them to not make
it public or seek treatment. It's the reverse with drug use and that makes
it unique amongst health issues," he said.

Some people who support themselves through criminal activity exploit drug
users, keep them away from health services and get them involved in crime,
he added.

The task force includes representatives from across the North Shore and was
formed as a result of increased concern and awareness of significant
substance abuse in the area.

"The reason we set this up instead of waiting for Vancouver and Surrey to
decide what to do, was that we could move ahead as a bloc and be a pilot
for other areas," Mayor Barbara Sharp said.