EDMONTON, AB: The United Conservatives today are warning that while increased access to detox treatment for opioid users is a step in the right direction, much more needs to be done to address the opioid crisis in Alberta.
“We have been calling on this government to increase funding for detox treatment since this crisis began and we are pleased to see our advice has finally been taken,” said United Conservative Health Critic, Tany Yao. “Given that 241 Albertans have already died this year and countless more are currently trapped in the grip of opioid addiction, we believe more can and must be done to effectively tackle this problem.”
In addition to treatment, resources must be directed towards education and prevention – two critical components in addressing the opioid crisis, said United Conservative Mental Health Critic, Mark Smith.
“We need to focus on how to prevent opioid addiction in the first place and that begins with education,” said Smith. “There also needs to be a greater emphasis placed on the role that mental health practitioners can play in the fight against opioid addiction and additional mental health resources at the PCN level would go a long way toward reducing the number of Albertans who fall victim to opioids.”
The United Conservatives will remain hard at work ensuring that Alberta’s response to the opioid crisis is as comprehensive as it needs to be to save lives.