Enlightened treatment of drug addiction

Madam, – I was stunned by the lack of empathy and knowledge displayed by Richard Lucas, leader of The Scottish Family Party in his letter of October 15 in his diatribe against addicts (“Illegal drug abuse ‘irresponsible and selfish’,”, Letters, October 15).

Drug addicts were much loved family members at one point and, as such, should be seen as deserving of empathy and care.

Modern initiatives in Canada and Portugal illustrate graphically how harm reduction greatly improves the addict’s chances of embarking on a path of recovery.

This helps end the financial burden and emotional stress placed on both the community and the family.

It is now accepted by many in the front line services that childhood trauma is the catalyst which drives individuals into addiction and the chaotic lifestyles which are the consequence.

Examples of these traumas are sexual molestation, violence, physical abuse and neglect which, if not confronted, create the gateway for addiction.

This is due to the lack of both emotional maturity and stability in the lives of these individuals as they develop.

Many of these problems have their origins within the extended families. Because society has still to develop an effective method of identifying and addressing these issues, we continue to produce those vulnerable to addiction at an alarming rate.

If the outlawing of substances through punitive measures was effective, the USA might still be living in the era of Prohibition.

However, this approach only drove problems underground, making them more difficult to access and to deal with.

The demonisation of a sub-set of our most vulnerable people is part and parcel of the problem and unhelpful to all – especially family members who still care.

The therapeutic path now recommended is to reduce the further pressures of criminality and poor health.

This leads to the resolution of old trauma and the insights required for new understandings of themselves and the wider community.

Many do fully recover at far less expense than the law and order measures currently practised, which generally fail.

Successful therapy, which begins with harm reduction and stress relief, provides value in the family, the financial, the emotional and the community areas which are all seriously affected by untreated addiction. George Murdoch. 4 Auchcairnie Cottages, Laurencekirk.