$1.3 M budget helps battle opioid addiction on P.E.I.

Health Minister Robert Henderson says while Prince Edward Island may spend the second highest of provinces in Canada to help people recover from addiction to opioids, it is worth the cost. 

"The biggest thing that we've noticed is there is certainly a toll that's taken on many Island families with the changing face of addictions," said Henderson. 

"We feel that we want to try to make sure we try to alleviate and provide the most appropriate responses to those families and we're willing to commit good monies to making sure we can deal with those particular situations and addictions to opioids."

Henderson said the budget for opioids therapy is $1.3 million and those funds are used to help people access methadone and other medications needed for recovery. 

Investment paying off

Henderson told CBC Compass host, Bruce Rainnie providing the funding for the treatment was a priority because of what affects addiction has on people and their families.

"By these investments we've certainly seen reductions in the crime rates, in fact we have some of the lower crime rates of any jurisdiction in the country. So we think those investments are paying off and providing people a chance to be productive with their lives."

Henderson said a number of strategies have been implemented to decrease the connection to opioids addiction and the over prescribing of them by doctors.

"One of them is the drug information system that we have in the province that allows us to monitor and track these medications and who may be prescribing them the most. We have also made some changes to the narcotics and drug awareness act which allows us to intervene when we do find those situations."

Henderson added another strategy in place is in some cases physicians must contact the government before they are permitted to prescribe certain opioids.

The health minister said he is sure the funding to help people with opioid addiction will remain a high priority for the provincial government even if federal transfer payments are reduced.

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