First Nations battling prescription drug abuse

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They're cheap, easy to obtain and very addictive, and so begins the Constance Lake First Nation's battle against prescription drug abuse.

"We have to be proactive in dealing with the issue before it becomes a huge problem and we don't want to see people dying from this abuse," said Constance Lake Chief Arthur Moore. "We want to educate our people and different authorities as well that have relations in dealing with these prescription drugs."

Abuse of prescription painkillers such as Percocet and Oxycontin is a growing problem among First Nation communities across Canada, but the community of Constance Lake has been hit especially hard. Located within the Highway 11 corridor, drugs are easily trafficked through the community.

According to Hannah Bunting, executive director of the Jane Mattinas Health Centre in Constance Lake, it costs only $22 to $25 or so for a prescription of 90 Percocet tablets, but dealers are selling them for $10 per pill. She said Oxycontin is also available on the black market for $25 per pill.

Unfortunately, Health Canada has a poor system and a poor record of tracking prescription double billing. Pharmacists who accept cash instead of billing the non-insured health benefits (NIHB) also don't help the situation. Users and dealers often fill one prescription using NIHB coverage, then pay cash for the rest, said Bunting, adding that the only way dealers and abusers are caught is if visits to more than one doctor shows up on their Ontario Health Insurance Plan card.

Moore has issued a no tolerance policy against dealing and abusing prescription drugs in Constance Lake. He also helped Bunting initiate the anti-prescription drug abuse campaign that involves Matawa First Nations Management, the tribal council that represents Constance Lake, as well as eight other area First Nations. The Nishnawbe Aski Police and the Ontario Provincial Police are also involved in the campaign.

Moore said the program is being proactive within the Matawa First Nations communities by opening up communication to the local police and the local medical community about those who are 'double doctoring' or jumping from one doctor and community to another to get multiple prescriptions. The local school in Constance Lake has invited staff from the health centre to do presentations on prescription drug abuse on a regular basis. They are also approaching the local pharmacists in the small surrounding communities like Hearst, Kapuskasing and Timmins to try and get them to stop accepting cash for prescription drugs.

Linda Chum, who works with Constance Lake's National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program, is optimistic that their program will work.

"I think the fact that we're taking an active role in being very vocal about these prescription drugs and any drug abuse, that the youth, the young people, Elders, will find that it's OK to talk about stuff like this and it's OK to come to the health centre and say that I have a problem and that I can come to these people and they're going to help me," said Chum.

Chum said that people start using to block physical and emotional pain. A culture of drug abuse often develops among users, which makes it even harder for them to stop.

"I really believe that when you're using a drug-and it doesn't matter any drug, like right now we're talking about Oxycontin-there's a culture that comes with that. So if you have family members that are using, there's a unit that's being supported and supplied. With a community like Constance Lake, because we're small, that I really believe for that to happen is a really high risk because you know auntie, uncle, grannie, grandpa ... cousins, nephews, whatever, they could be all supporting one another in the use of these prescription drugs," said Chum.

Although Matawa First Nations Management is supporting this initiative, Bunting, who sits on the Matawa Health Task Force, believes that some of the community leaders are till reluctant to tackle this problem.

"Unfortunately a lot of their chiefs are not ready to face this problem head on. They're kind of embarrassed to say that they have that problem on their reserve," Bunting said. "I'm hoping that more Matawa reserves are going to address the issue though. It's nothing to be embarrassed about; it's happening. Let the people know that you're aware of it and that you're there to help and not talking about it doesn't mean it's going to go away."