Guest Speaker David Berner

David Berner's presentation today is entitled "THE TRUTH ABOUT ADDICTIONS - HOW GOVERNMENTS ARE WASTING YOUR MONEY AND HELPING NO ONE" Mr. Berner explained the fallacy of the current direction on the problems of drug addiction taken by our BC provincial, regional & city governments. The policies of giving drug addicts easier access to drugs & providing "safe" injection sites & equipment in order to try to reduce crime will not reduce, but increase the problems. By definition, an addict of anything cannot control his consumption and "always wants MORE." Mr. Berner spoke about the mechanics of addiction & gave us telling examples of success with addiction treatment by removing the addicts from their unhealthy environment & giving them effective treatment, work & responsibility in controlled & nurturing clinical environments. Basically, the governments don't wish to "get involved" & are listening mainly to the wrong advisors. He heartened us with news about ACTIVE programs such as "Grief to Action" which is based on a "Therapeutic Community Model." Vancouver-Burrard MLA Lorne Mayencourt is looking into such programs. "What can we do?" Let our MPs & MLAs know that we want them to replace their current ideas with programs that work - such as the Alcoholics' Anonymous concept of addicts helping addicts to help themselves. Notes this week by Harreson Lovick.