A Message from Minister of Health, Ujjal Dosanjh

National Addictions Awareness Week: November 20 - 26, 2005

The harmful use of alcohol and other substances touches the lives of many Canadians, with often devastating consequences. National Addictions Awareness Week (November 20-26) is a time to raise awareness and to showcase the work being done across the country to battle problematic substance use.

A prime example of collaboration amongst all stakeholders is the National Framework for Action to Reduce the Harms Associated with Alcohol and Other Drugs and Substances in Canada. The Framework is a groundbreaking effort - involving cross-country consultations among public, private and governmental sectors and culminating in a national plan of action to address issues of problematic substance use.

"The Government of Canada will also continue its leadership through Canada's Drug Strategy. This Strategy includes funding for national, regional and community initiatives, including youth awareness and education projects. I announced last August a commitment of $71 million over the next three years in funding to support prevention, harm reduction and treatment programs to address the detrimental health, social and economic consequences caused by substance abuse. It followed the government's decision to increase penalties for methamphetamine offences."

The Public Health Agency of Canada is also leading the National Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Initiative, which aims to prevent births affected by alcohol and improve outcomes for those affected in partnership with stakeholders across the country.

To address the rates of drug and alcohol use in First Nations and Inuit communities, Health Canada also contributes funding to the National Native Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program and the National Youth Solvent Abuse Program, which support 50 Native treatment programs and more than 550 community-based prevention programs to reduce the incidence of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and increase the quality of life for those affected by FASD and their families.

Health Canada is also committed to addressing tobacco use among Canadians. Smoking continues to be the number one preventable cause of disease and premature death in the country.

Through our close work with NGO's, provincial and territorial partners under the Federal Tobacco Control Strategy, the Government of Canada is making strides in reducing tobacco use and consumption across the country. The annual smoking rate is now at its lowest in Canadian history, according to results of the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey.

I would like to applaud all of the joint efforts to address harmful substance use. Together, we can work toward healthier communities, where this issue becomes a thing of the past.

Ujjal Dosanjh
Minister of Health