O.K. — So the mayor of Toronto, Rob Ford, apparently has finally conceded after months, if not years, that he is an addict. Off he went hastily in a private jet to a “rehab centre”, possibly in the Chicago area. Mayor Ford has taken a leave of absence from his position, announcing that he would withdraw from the current mayoral campaign for at least 30 days in order to get much-needed professional help.
Now let us recap. The mayor has a drinking problem. He is prone to lying and denial, particularly about his alcoholic abuse. When in one of his drunken stupors, he is often out of control and prone to incoherence, profanity and aggression. He admittedly has also smoked crack cocaine, and has done so recently. And through all of this, the addict Rob Ford became an international celebrity, even appearing on talk shows in the U.S. Go figure?
While this so-called political scandal has been greatly sensationalized by the mass media, the story has left out one crucial element. Addiction and substance abuse affects a hell of a lot people in our society. The results from all addictions far too often lead to personal tragedies, including death, and have enormous social consequences for us all. As a society, we have not done very well at treating persons with addictions. Not everyone can afford, like Rob Ford and Hollywood celebrities, to enter a private rehab program. Affordable services for the treatment of addictions, like health services for mental illnesses, are inadequate for most individuals and families. Indeed, addiction and mental health issues often go hand in hand.
Once an addict, always an addict. Whether it is alcohol, prescription pain killers or illicit drugs, an addiction cannot be remedied in 30 days. To be successful in simply controlling one’s addiction, months and years of continuous abstinence and community support are required. There will always be certain stressors that can cause someone to fall off the wagon. Addiction is certainly no joking matter. Treating Rob Ford’s condition as some kind of a joke does a disservice to understanding the severity of the problem in our society. Too many people, not only his drug pushers and family, have contributed to his failure to recognize and deal with his addiction. Now that he has taken the first important step — that of acknowledging his medical condition for what it is — let’s stop the circus train. Give him his privacy during the next several months, and let his family and friends provide him with the essential support that he will desperately need.
FROLITICKS 
Leave a comment