The Drug Prevention Network of Canada (DPNC) was formed to help connect people and organizations that wish to promote the benefits of a healthy lifestyle, free from substance abuse. If you are concerned about the effects of substance abuse in your community, join us. Together, we can make a difference.
Our main goal is to give a collective voice to those who believe that the best way to reduce the harms associated with substance abuse is through a comprehensive approach including both Supply Reduction and Demand Reduction. While we feel that limiting the supply of drugs through various levels of enforcement is important, we see a real need for increased efforts to reduce the demand for drugs through prevention and abstinence-based treatment.
We have major concerns with some of the initiatives, falling under the banner of Harm Reduction, that do not include abstinence as a goal. Rather than reduce, they only prolong the misery caused by addiction. Whereas, properly funded, prevention and abstinence-based treatment programs actually reduce the number of people addicted and the related harms.
Similarly, we do not agree with those involved in the Harm Reduction Movement wanting to legalize many of the currently illicit drugs. The proponents of such radical policy reform have yet to show how we could treat any other drugs like we do alcohol and tobacco without causing an increase in the related social and economic harms similar to what we already have with alcohol and tobacco. We fail to understand how lessening the restrictions on these drugs would lessen the harm caused by them.
What we do support is the idea of all levels of government working cohesively with civil society to reduce substance abuse and the related harms to the individual, the family and the community. We have members working on initiatives at every level, from their local community to the national and international levels. We continue to help government understand that every dollar spent on prevention and treatment of substance abuse saves lives and multiple dollars in healthcare, law enforcement and criminal justice.
No one can do everything, but everyone can do something! Help us help others!
C.D.(Chuck)
Doucette
President
Drug Prevention Network of Canada
