Wichita treatment center to close, but the war on drugs continues

From;  

Wichita Peace and Freedom Party Examiner

Every year our police use a number of stings to put people behind bars for a number of different types of illegal narcotics. No doubt some of these substances are dangerous, but they are also addictive.

Without providing treatment for addiction, some people are being set up to be convicted felons and spend time in jail. Without treatment, what good does any of this do other than ruin lives already affected by drugs?

So this week Parallax, one of the main drug-treatment centers in Wichita, will close its doors, leaving its patients to wonder what comes next. Last night on Channel 10 in Wichita, many patients were interviewed and worried that disrupting the treatment they were getting will put them at risk to go back to a life of drug addiction and hopelessness for the future.

Clients told KAKE T.V. they are now left without a home or a drug rehab program.

"We're getting put out of here in the middle of a program that we're really trying to work. We're trying to save our lives. This is not a joke. Inside this broken building, is us. That's who's suffering from this," said Brandy, Parallax client.

"Now, I have to go back out here to the world, because I know the other treatment centers are full, and I'm hoping to get into another one," said Jason, Parallax client.”

Parallax has come under fire for a number of regulation problems, but he main complaint has been its use of unqualified people to act as counsellors. Again KAKE said;

“The state has been investigating the drug and alcohol clinic for a couple of weeks. Among the allegations are that people who weren't qualified led counseling sessions. Several former employees told KAKE News they were fired when they started complaining about problems inside the center.”

It is ridiculous to continue with the legal “war on drugs” if there is no rehab for people who are willing to get off addictive drugs but can’t get the help they need. We are just making criminals out of people with health problems.