More Strong Commentary on Addictions

"And real treatment is cheap. Real treatment does not need doctors and nurses"

Another one of the damaging myths being pushed by the DTES' addict advocacy industry (InSite, Vandu, the Portland Hotel Society, etc) is that expensive, residential, Cadillac-grade treatment centers with 24-hour medical support will result in more addicts going clean. A recent report on England's addiction services (http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23418863-details/%C2%A31.9m+bill+to+help+just+ONE+drug+addict+kick+the+habit/article.do) showed that while funding rose 50% over the previous year (to an annual investment of 384 million pounds in 2006), successful graduates of treatment programs rose by only 1.2 percent. (Note that this program uses "addiction management" techniques such as drug substitution.)

The DTES addict advocacy industry can endlessly claim that not enough money is being spent on treatment services and facilities. They neglect to mention that most treatment programs are ineffective. As you say, David, the most effective programs are inexpensive peer-group support - because the people that take part in these programs are personally motivated to get clean, instead of motivated to continue their addictions through drug provisioning and substitution.

To get people motivated to get clean, Vancouver needs to stop pandering to its addicts - allowing them to hide behind the excuse of (self-inflicted) mental illness; allowing them to evade legal responsibility; allowing them to act with impunity. Vancouver needs to stop supporting junkies and the junkie lifestyle, and instead make it difficult to be a drug addict in Vancouver, thus motivating people into taking responsibility for their own addiction, treatment and recovery.