CASTING FOR MORE BAD MONEY
I have written so much and so often about drug rehabilitation and the dead-end, destructive routes that our official "helpers" are taking these days that I am loathe to say another word.
HOWEVER...
The story in this morning's Sun ("TRAIL WOULD GIVE USERS FREE SUBSTITUTE DRUGS") is available to make you sick here.
One needn't go over one more time all the many things about this story that are wrong and hateful and disgusting.
But let's say a few things.
When these bastards claim that they will engage the clients in psych-social counselling and treatment, they are lying. Yes, lying. And for 3 good reasons.
ONE: You cannot talk to a stoned person. You are talking to a drug. So, if these lunatics give addicts drugs, they cannot then have a meaningful conversation about the Canucks, let alone a New Life Plan. Give your child a cookie at 2 am and then talk to him or her about how you're never going to give another cookie at 2 am. Huh?
TWO: The mayor and his hoods don't BELIEVE in treatment. They disparage the whole idea of treatment. Part of their hideous platform is that 75% of treatment is futile. They say these things in public. And when asked about this, the mayor will readily admit that he is ONLY interested in a "civil city." Which is his cute way of saying that if the addicts are given free drug substitutes they won't break into your homes and cars.
THREE: But they WILL break into your homes and cars because 30 minutes after the addicts get their free drug substitutes, they will be back in the alleys getting the real deal, which costs money, which can only be had by breaking into your homes and cars.
The other thing that needs to be said is that this awful program is now proposing to raise even more money from government and the private sector...money that SHOULD go to real treatment.
Finally, the man who has taken on this muddleheaded project is Richard Mulcaster. When I first learned this a few months ago, I was shocked. Mulcaster was for many years the very excellent Executive Director of the Vancouver Foundation. When he retired, he told me that he would be doing some international development work for CIDA and others. He lives in Shaughnessy and one would have thought he didn't need the money.
But you can be assured that Sam is paying him more than $100,000 a year - a sum that would fund 2 places for 2 addicts in a real rehab program for a full year of being clean and sober and learning how to leave The Life. A program that involves Hope and Dignity.
Giving an addict substitute drugs offers hope and dignity? Teenage prostitutes, given free drugs, will continue to be teenage prostitutes. The mayor is enslaving sick youth.
So what is Mulcaster doing? You would have thought that in all those years of funding program for the Vancouver Foundation, he had learned something.
Apparently not.
Richard, hang your head in shame.
5 comments:
Hello, David.
We have a drug substitution program. It's called Methadone. So let's see how that's working...
First of all, Methadone is a fairly proven drug, with lots of trials to show its effectiveness. There is no equivalent for cocaine (or crack or crystal meth). There are some relatively untested drugs, but they show limited effectiveness in preliminary trials.
So CAST is flawed in that we're not talking about Methadone for crack addicts, we're talking about preliminary untested drugs. Mayor Sam is proposing we use drug addicts as guinea pigs.
Anyway, I was talking about Methadone's success rate. I've talked to several addicts, and most of them who have tried Methadone, were simultaneously using other drugs. It was just another substance to abuse. And, although it has enabled some people to get control of their lives, they are in a very small minority.
There is no magic pill. This problem takes long-term therapy, interaction with people who care, and solid commitments to getting people off drugs.
It continues to infuriate me that this bullsh*t is being proposed as a solution. And in the name of compassion.
It further infuriates me that real solutions are being subverted (more money to InSite, no more to Harbor Light detox).
The players (the bosses at Coastal Health, the BC Center for Excellence in HIV/AIDS, City Council, Mayor Sam) are not interested in the lot of the addict. They are interested in their own political stock.
And that's heinous.
Steve
Steve,
Thanks so much for this excellent commentary.
I should add that I sent this morning's blog directly to Mulcaster.
If I am lucky, the powers that be will continue to see me as a marginalized crank.
Otherwise, they will have the thought police soon at my door.
Thank you for stating this Program for what it is. I have been so infuriated since first hearing about this, that I have quite frankly been unable to form any reasonable response. You have.
A sane person would have to wonder exactly what is the Mayor and his band of fart catchers on, to make one so dellusional?
And while I am on here, thanks "Steve" for your feelings regarding this absolute rubbish.
It is absolutely clear to me, that those that "sit upon High" haven't a miniscule of an idea as to what they are doing.
God help us all................
Isn't Mayor Sam the fellow who used to take a wee shot of whiskey prior to heading out the door for work in the morning? These people seem to know nothing about addiction. Power and money are much more important to them methinks - and that is more than sad for the addicts who need treatment - *not* more drugs.
June (Hi David - Still miss you on what used to be a good talk radio station)
Hey June!
Great to hear from you. Hope you are well.
Best wishes,
David
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