Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA)

As our city continues to grapple with a growing crisis of drug abuse and seeks solutions to address addiction and its associated negative effects on the community, it may be helpful to take a step back and review some of the root causes of addiction and why this insidious disease is so challenging to treat. From the perspective of someone who has worked in the local emergency department during the onset and evolution of the current opioid crisis, we look at some of the challenges experienced and insights gained in working with this high-risk population. Recurrent patterns of self-destructive behavior in the face of compounding negative personal consequences underscores the impaired ability to make rational choices that is the hallmark of addiction. The collateral effects of all manner of substance addictions continue to cause tremendous harm to users, their families, and the surrounding community, both in visibly drug abusing populations, and in those with a less visible substance abuse problem. Understanding