Jennifer Sicard believes there is a lot of stigma behind methadone clinics in the downtown core.
Sicard, who is a pharmacy manager at a downtown clinic, insists the methadone clinics are not just about treating street users.
In fact, mayoral candidate Sheldon Forgette - a city councillor at the time - used a moratorium on methadone clinics as part of his platform during the most recent municipal election.
“These programs also treat prescription medication addiction, prescription medication dependence, and the population is not just the street user. I think that people need to understand that addiction affects all walks of life and that a lot of the population that is being treated by these clinics are not just the people that they think they are,” Sicard told Rogers Radio's Bob Coles.
Sicard spoke about the topic during a Rotary Club of North Bay luncheon this afternoon at the Grande Event Centre in downtown North Bay.
She hopes creating more awareness about what the programs are doing will help diminish the negativity surrounding the term 'methadone clinic.'
“I believe these programs help a lot of people, and even though they are on the program doesn’t mean that it is not working,” said Sicard.
“I truly believe in these programs because I have seen the good that these programs can do and I think a lot of the concern from the public is due to misunderstanding. I think that public concern, whether it is about safety or the state of the downtown core in North Bay, I think can be cleared up with a little understanding about the situation itself.”
