A report on addictions by the local drug strategy committee says there remains a stigma in dealing with the issue.

Vice Chair Wendy Prieur says they’ve talked to 3,700 people in the last 3 years throughout the area including North Bay, Callander, Sturgeon Falls and Mattawa.

She says many people are suffering but others not impacted don’t want to hear about it.

“For me one of the things we have to address early is the stigma. It’s hard to change attitudes when people have such a negative stigma around anyone who is suffering from an addiction,” she says, pointing out the key to improving the situation is talking about it.

“Instead of talking about how someone who is suffering from the disease of alcohol or drug addiction the compassion peace doesn’t come out the judgement peace comes out,” Prieur says.

She says alcohol and methadone are the two most common misused substances in the community.

Prieur says there have been success stories like the Patch4Patch program, but work needs to be done on addictions in the community.

Filed under: North Bay Area Drug Strategy Committee