Stop

AN anti-drug rally held
in Abbotsford last week
and fronted by former
heavy weight boxer
George Chuvalo and
federal MP Randy
White sported the usual
confused rhetoric about
drugs and addiction.

It was a mixture of
demands and accusations to
government; the tone resem-
bling an ideological hangover
from the days of the
Temperance Movement and
the Prohibition, topped with
a dose of AA scare tactics.

Incidentally, the miscon-
ceptions about addiction
unite social conservatives and
liberals alike. Both factions
seem to feel it is the humane
thing to describe what is
essentially a problem of
behaviour, as a disease, even
though it is not.

Liberals as much as con-
scrvatives, support coercive
means of treatment. All are
oblivious to the stupidity of
forcing an occasional user to
confess to a life- long debili-
tating “disease.” All are blind
to the violation of liberty and
the futility of forcing some-
one into rehab.

In a radio interview, MP
Randy White expressed his
well-meaning support for the
disease conception of addic-
tion.

Asked to explain why pro-
ponents of the disease mode!

mailbox

comment

of addiction refuse to address
the fact that drug addiction
involves choices, values and
preferences, he refused to do
so.

“Have you not made a
mistake ever?” he admon-
ished the host.

As if embarking on a life
of drugs was about one
unfortunate glitch. The dan-
gers of gathering more and
more behaviours under the
disease label, is not some-
thing about which politicians
or health-care specialists care
to think, despite the scary
ramifications for a society
already committed to “moral-
ity lite” and to diminished
personal responsibility.

One esteemed addiction
researcher, Stanton Peele, is
different.

In his hook The Discasing
of America, Peele states that
the disease conceptions of
misbehaviour are bad science,
and morally and intellectually
sloppy.

“Once we treat alcoholism
and addiction as diseases,”
writes Peele, “we cannot rule
out that anything people do -

bat shouldn’t is a disease
from crime to ¢ ive sexu:
ality to procrastination.”

The application of the
medical disease model to
addictions was developed to
“remove the stigma tron
these behaviours.”

There is, however, 20
genetic marker for alcoholism
or drug addiction. Still, the
misconception that these
behaviours are linked to a
genetic vulnerability is aired
repeatedly by the media, afl
in the absence of evidence.

The rationale for using the
disease model to describe
addiction, even though it is
intellectually dishonest, is
that medical treatment is
effective. ‘This is also untruc.

An overview of controlled
studies indicates that “treated
patients do not fare better
than untreated peaple with
the same problems.”

The evaluation of one
program for heroin addiction,
for instance, showed a recidi-
vismi rate of 90% soon after
treatment. This is because a
behavioural problem cannot
be remedied by medical inter-
vention. Addicts are cured
when they decide to give up
the habit.

Most cigarette smokers
who quit give up cold turkey
with no help, and there is no
indication treatment for
smokers is any more effective
than no treatment.

The disease conception of
addiction is 3 means of sepa-

implement term limits for local

(and absolute maximum age
limit of 70 years) on all elect-
ed councillors and mayors, the
overall balance would defi-
nitely be in favour of “new
blood” bringing fresh ideas

Dear Editor:

In regards to the excellent
article by Tim Renshaw (May
30 Ripping Yarns) on munici-

pal politicians outstaying their
Releome, 1 fully support the
imposition of term limits not
only for municipal but for
provincial politicians as well,
perhaps that should even
include MPs for good mea-
sure!

Career politicians should
be actively discouraged in the
democratic process (as they
are in the U.S.A.), in order to
ensure that new ideas are able
to percolate up from the
grassroots taxpayers rather
than being brought down by
the out-of-control arrogant
political elire.

Both North Vancouver
district and city would proba-
bly have been merged 15 years
ago if Jack Loucks (and some
of the present “long in the
tooth” councillors on city
council) had been “legally
excluded” after three terms
(nine years) under a much-
needed “limited (three) term
provision” of the Municipal
Act!

Both municipalities would
have collectively saved mil-
lions of property tax and bud?
get dollars through the climi-
nation of duplication of all
administration and municipal
services and totally avoided

(EEBABLAIZY

Your Store of Friendly la
San Fedro. Imports
; 4381 Gallant Ave.

. Deep Cove * 924-2016

the unwarranted $11 million
cost of building the new
North Vancouver district
municipal hall!

In fact the districr could
have sold that particular parcel
of land on Queens Road for
residential development,:
using the resulting funds to
build up its heritage account,
severcly depleted over the
years by excessive municipal
operating expenditures!

While we potentially risk
losing some excellent munici-
pal politicians in the process of
imposing a three-term limit

and innovations into the
municipal mix and more effec-
tively dealing with blatantly
“obstructionist” municipal
departments (like traffic and
engincering).

We would no longer have
municipalities “stuck” two
decades behind the electorate
in implementing new ideas to
make municipal government

Keith A. Cameron

Barrister & Solicitor
30 years experience
MORTGAGE INVESTORS
Let me help you
with your problems.

=> Business Sales & Purchases

=> Wills and Estates
& Foreclosures
& Real Estate Matters

Free initial consultation in a

relaxed Deep Cove atmosphere
&

intments available eveni

929-0998

rating the behaviour from the
person.

Much like the flu, drugs
are said to “get a hold” of
you, to use Mr, Chuvalo’s
words when describing his
son. But an honest look is
always more productive than
a clouded one, and an honest
look at drug-use means we
cannot separate it from a per-
son's values, strengths or lack
thereof.

Once someone becomes
involved with drugs, we
explain everything they do by
saying it was because of the
drug, neglecting in the
process of this circular argu-
ment to note that the source
of the addiction is the person
and nor the drug.

Heroin addicts are highly
disposed to having social
problems even before they
become addicted. And good
predictors of future drug use
are truancy and smoking
behaviour, indicating that
certain people by virtue of
their personality characteris-
tics or social circumstances
are more at risk than others.
Ifyou fail to hold the kid
who goes astray responsible
for his actions — then you
cannot praise the kid who
doesn’t. That’s the logic of
diminished responsibilitics all
round.

Once again the myths
about drug use in the general
population come from what
Dr. Peele calls “extremely
self-dramatizing addicts who

politicians

far more efficient and
accountable and getting major
projects completed far quicker
and for (considerably) less
cost!

Bob Tarpictt

North Vancouver

“Tuscany” Patio Set (21 yes.)

Great powder coated alurninum frame, has beige
cushions, tempered glass table top, 9 ft. matchin:

Friday, June 4,

ing excuses for drug addicti

report for treatment, and
who in turn are extremely
attractive to the media.”
Which calls into question the
wisdom of using video
footage such as was used dur-
ing the rally, in which a hero-
in addict, described in posi-
tive personal terms, tell
about his life.

This portrays the addict as
a hero, and separates the
addict from his behaviour
with the protective rampart
of a disease label.

Indeed, there are activist
groups down town campaign-
ing for respect for the addict,
pointing towards the degree
of confusion in our thinking.
Because the more undeserved
respect addicts get, the more
events they attend as “wit-
nesses,” the more they will
stay addicts and the more
addiction will be glamorized.

Positive reinforcement
increases rather than extin-
guishes behaviour. Paviov’s
dog could tell you that.

Unfortunately, the various
accelerated programs school
kids are exposed to year in
and year out are breeding out
of them the protective effects

fully warranty °

1999 — North Shore News — 7

of personal responsibility, and
the healthy disdain for
addicts.

They are taught by
mouthpieces of the activist
industry thar “It” can happen
to anyone, that they have lit-
tle control and rhat once
“diagnosed” as an addict
always an addict.

This sets in motion —
where there is already some
drug use — a self-defeating
cycle of abstinence and
relapse, not to mention an
overall rise in drug-related
involvement.

Allin all, most teens and
college students outgrow
their occasional binges and
turn into responsible adults.
For doing what teens and
college students do as a rite
of passage, youngsters do not
deserve to be labelled dis-
cased.

Ir is plain stupid.

The paranoia of the tem-
perance and the prohibition
era, which has culminated in
AA disease dogma needs to
be replaced with an emphasis
on personal, parental and
community power.

— gnome@attcanada.net

1a _ fl services on Lube & Filter

Spproved: includes up to

21 pt. Safety check, 15 minutes - FAST!

§ lites of 10w30 Quakerstate

i 1262 Marine Drive 980-9115
Mon-Sat 8:00amn-6:00prn, Sun. 9:00arn-5:00ern Epis June 1609 J

y Cleansing facial reg $45

j Halflegwax reg $25

| Bikini wax reg $15

1 Brow waxing _—reg S15

Back wax reg $55
Manicure &

i reg $50

| 1207- 1331 Ma ine

Special $29”
Special
Special
Special
Special

A lovely single rose
arranged attractively in
one of our great selection

of glass vases!

umbrella and metal base. Reg. $199797 $1797"

We carry a large selection
Zo Coast Spa/Pool Life

Plants Galore Presents

Valley Coast Irrigation & Landscaping
Free Seminar on Sprinklers

June 16th, to3

While cuantities last.

Great for a grad gift.
order yours today!

eT After the show, come to ”

our store and receive the
ticket amount off any &
purchase in-store over

PLANTS GALORE

Garden & Patio Centre
1120 Park Royal South, West Vanco vo PUP RTGS

Hours of Operation
Mon.-Wed. 8am - 7pm
8am - 9pm
8am - 6pm

Thurs.-Fri.
Soat.-Sun.

RES RAT OT]

Ge ee
Marine Drive