ADDICTION PROBLEMS NEED COMMUNITY EFFORT

It's National Addictions Awareness Week (Nov. 18-24) and several Nanaimo
organizations are teaming up for an awareness campaign.

The Nanaimo Region John Howard Society, Nanaimo Youth Services Association,
and local treatment centres are using the week to highlight the problem of
drug, alcohol and gambling addictions.

"We're talking about thousands in this area who have substance abuse or
gambling addictions," says Tony White, executive director of the John
Howard Society.

Statistics on drug use and addictions paint a bleak picture for the Nanaimo
area.

Last year almost 1,000 people were turned away from local drug and alcohol
treatment services because there weren't enough resources to help them.
Over the past five years, 77 people have died from drug overdoses. And
right now, at least 2,000 residents are struggling with gambling addiction.

"In this community, the vast majority of people are living healthy
lifestyles, and that's the good news," says White.

"But all of us need to ask ourselves what are we doing to assist those who
are having problems as a result of their addictions? It's really
everybody's problem."

White says all indicators point to an increase in the number of people
developing drugs, alcohol or gambling problems.

Most people, he says, are using substances to escape whatever pain they're in.

In any case, White says the community needs more of a collective effort
when it comes to addressing the problem.

"A lot of our folks in the community are working flat out to deal with it,
but when you've got things like gambling available on the Internet and
expanded seating in bars and more venues to use substances, you're going to
get the potential for more abuse."