Speaking of drug addiction, Trudeau claimed in Parliament that his government followed the science. It does no such thing.If it did, the Trudeau Liberals would never have made such a grave mistake in concert with the BC NDP Provincial government, as to open the streets to hard drugs. A social-work response to serious drug use misunderstands the nature of drug addiction.It seems society is drowning in addiction, to drug use and a thousand other unwise habits. In part, this is the consequence of traditional families being undermined. Rich and poor alike are disconnected from the close ties to family, culture, and spirituality that constitute the positive social fabric of life. Social stresses are placed upon Canadians towards self-indulgent individualism, consumerism, competition, entertainment and sports culture, gambling, and other alienating activities, to the degree that it denigrates enduring values and healthful social connections.So, some try to adapt by concocting substitutes to stay afloat, blindly searching for sustaining social, cultural, and spiritual wholeness. Those with mental disorders are particularly vulnerable, and addictions provide a false substitute for too many. Perhaps the cause of addiction is as much a societal social problem as it is an individual disorder. Nevertheless, it is the addict who must personally deal with their addiction to overcome it.And this is where the NDP government of British Columbia lost the plot.It obtained permission from the federal government to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of illicit drugs. The naïve justification of decriminalization was to take steps to treat addiction as a health issue rather than a criminal one. Yes, the goal was to reduce the shame and stigma surrounding drug use, to reduce fear and shame associated with addiction, so more people could feel comfortable reaching out for help. It was the stigma, they said, that was keeping people from accessing life-saving services. However serious addicts have no shame. The chemicals in their system change their thinking and behaviour, while physically damaging the body.And so the opposite was the consequence. There were no new lineups for addiction treatment. Instead, every measure of the dark side became worse... street crime, homeless encampments, more addicts unable to earn a living — and a rise in drug overdose deaths. The only positive number in decriminalization was a reduction in criminal case files for local drug dealers, and it temporarily kept some of them out of the criminal justice system.But, decriminalizing drugs for personal use had no helpful relation to the underlying causes of the addiction menace, and no helpful impact on the number of drug deaths. If B.C. was serious about confronting the leading cause of unnatural death, it would take far more than decriminalizing simple drug possession.Decriminalization is not sympathetic and caring for the needy addict, but rather cruel neglect. In the meantime, six more people will die today from drug poisoning in B.C. and perhaps another six will die tomorrow. Addicts require an alternative to the toxic drug lifestyle rather than better, purer drugs. The problem, you see, is more than the drugs. It is that addicts don’t have much socially to turn to. One has to have meaning in one's life, and one of the biggest meanings is a good job and positive social activity. But addicts' lives are such a mess that they are unemployable and don’t earn their way. This social disconnection is a big part of addiction. Beyond cleansing the body of addictive chemicals, the whole person needs to recover. It has been said that the opposite of addiction is not sobriety but rather meaningful social connection. It is wrongly claimed that involuntary commitment to treatment has the potential to re-traumatize addicts and dissolve their trust in treatment providers. But, most addicts will not voluntarily stop taking drugs without outside intervention that involves some measure of coercive motivation. Bargaining, deal-making, and promises made by an addict, all fail. Meanwhile, socially ignoring the problem is costly, as capacity creates its own demand. Delaying treatment intervention for an addict’s “readiness” usually does not work. Moreover, some in the so-called addiction treatment business overcharge for services rendered and over-promise their results, making unsubstantiated claims of success. Therefore, accepting the claims of treatment brands or philosophies that do not have professional independent verifications is a waste and harmful.Although brief hospitalization is beneficial for temporary relief from a cycle of addiction, it will not resolve the underlying motivators. Often addiction is entangled with mental health, personality disorders, and a myriad of physical health issues. Qualified therapy that includes education, life skills, and cultural development beyond direct medical issues, delivered in a physically controlled environment are important components for comprehensive rehabilitation attempts. If the response to addiction was simple and easy, it would be done. Everyone has a unique story road of falling into addiction, and each has to find their own way out. There is no short-term solution.Governments do not make enough effort to reduce street drug supply. They have not sufficiently resourced enforcement against drug dealer networks, and therefore the dangerous street scene is the predictable consequence. I am pessimistic that governments across Canada will deliver what is required to address the prevalence of drug addiction.
