City Unveils Plan to Combat Drug Use
Tuesday, October 30, 2007 by Jonathan
Sher of the London
Free Press:
London's five-year-plan to combat substance abuse on city
streets is ambitious, multi-faceted and mostly dependent
on hoped-for funds from the federal and provincial governments.
City hall staff yesterday unveiled its plan to attack drug
use on many fronts, the proposal unanimously endorsed by
the city's community and protective services committee.
But though all praised a plan that was the product of 14
months of research, Deputy Mayor Tom Gosnell did point to
what he thinks could be an Achilles heel -- funding.
The proposal calls for an annual
budget of $3.76 million, but only $622,200 -- less than 17 per cent -- would come
from local tax dollars.
As for the balance of $3.1 million, only $500,000 is in
the form of ongoing assistance from the Ontario government
for social needs.
That leaves the city needing $2.6 million and while the
plan says the city should insist upper levels of
government pay, that's easier said than done, said Gosnell.
We've insisted for years and they don't
respond to insistences, Gosnell told the city's community and protective services
committee.
But the city's community services boss, Ross Fair, is confident
London will get most or all of the funds because they would
tap into programs that already exist.
The initiatives to be funded by upper governments include:
- Hiring five police officers to boost enforcement.
- Hiring nurses and addiction specialists to treat addicts
who can wait eight months for treatment.
- Getting more people off the street and into homes.
A
broad national strategy to provide housing is needed, Fair
said. We won't have long-term success until we have more (housing)
units. Substance abuse costs London's economy $243
million a year, city hall estimates.
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Any community
approach to addictions must of course be
multi-faceted - including education, prevention,
harm reduction, access to recovery treatment
and affordable living circumstances for persons
getting back on their feet.
Policing
is also necessary - to respond
to issues of violence - and to deal with
those who prey on addicted persons.
All of
this will be hugely expensive. Given the
recent articles in the London Free Press
about the epidemic prevelence of oxycodone
addiction in the London region - some level
of government should consider a contribution
by the industry that produces
these highly addictive substances.
The pharmaceutical
companies have spent billions of dollars
over the past fifteen years - to educate doctors
about the need to prescribe these addictive
substances - without ability to deal with
the neurophysical complications that result
- and without reliable ability to control
access to addicted persons.
Profit
is made from each pill that is dispensed
- regardless of where it ends up or how it
is used. This industry should be taxed
similarly to those that provide alcohol,
cigarettes or gambling facilities - and with
the funds used for preventative education
and recovery treatment.
SupportNet.ca, London,
Ontario
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