Alberta government allocates $20m to battle addiction

The Alberta province is battling an ongoing problem of substance abuse.

Their answer is, over the next four years, to put $20m towards the fight with extra drug treatment courts to be established in Lethbridge, expanding the total in Edmonton and Calgary.

Over time, more facilities will be opened in various, currently undisclosed locations.

Substance abuse, when paired with non-violent offences, should not result in jail time due to the nature of the crime.

Instead, drug courts tend to resolve such matters by sending the offender to a rehabilitation and treatment programme, with regular testing for drug and alcohol use forming an important part of the process.

To make sure that offenders pay their dues, this is accompanied by strict court supervision.

Also, the Alberta province will add another $50m to support efforts towards dismantling and disrupting organised crime, including regional organised crime units.

Doug Schweitzer, the Alberta justice minister, says the Lethbridge area has a high rate of drug use, making it the perfect starting point to act.

Since 2012-2013, he claims, methamphetamine use in southern Alberta has seen a record high.

Compared to the national average, hard drug trafficking in Lethbridge, including heroin and meth, is six times as common as the national average.

Southern Alberta’s law enforcement department will also get the extra tools necessary for tackling organised crime, which contributes to the illegal drug trafficking that feeds addiction, placing a significant toll on the community.