Prince Albert City Council is considering a new bylaw that will prevent methadone clinics from setting up in residential areas.
Some city councillors fear clinics draw more criminal activity to residential neighbourhoods, but Coun. Terra Lennox-Zepp disagrees.
“The methadone clinic debate was not informed by facts. It’s actually based on unfounded fears of the methadone program. I think people just need further information about what a methadone clinic is,” she told CTV News.
The city has six methadone clinics, which are regular pharmacies that also supply methadone. Doctors can prescribe the drug, but only pharmacies can dispense it.
Methadone is often used to subside withdrawal symptoms of people with addictions, so they can effectively stop the use of opioid drugs.
Dr. Leo Lanoie works with a methadone program and says the councillors in favour of the bylaw have it backwards.
“Usually the harm that (people with addictions) do is greatly diminished by them being on methadone,” Dr. Lanoie told CTV News.
“Not only does the patient on methadone do less harm to themselves, they don’t need to find the drug so they stop doing criminal acts.”
At the executive committee meeting five councillors voted for the bylaw, and three voted against. The final decision will be before city council on September 10.
