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Assignment: The City Giving Wine to Alcoholics

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The city giving wine to alcoholics

07/07/2016 GMT

The City Giving Wine to Alcoholics

BBC World Service - Assignment, The City Giving Wine to Alcoholics

How the city of Ottawa reduces the fall-out from addiction: giving wine to alcoholics.

For Assignment, Linda Pressly explores an innovative programme in the city of Ottawa to reduce the fall-out from addiction: giving wine to alcoholics.

The conventional treatment for chronic alcoholics is abstinence. Not in Ottawa. At the Oaks, a residence for those who were once homeless, occupants are given a measure of white wine at hourly intervals throughout the day. The ‘Managed Alcohol Program’ has improved the health of its participants, reduced their alcohol intake, and in some cases enabled them to stop drinking altogether. It’s also saved the city of Ottawa millions of dollars in public services – one man was hospitalised 191 times in the six months before joining the programme. Hours and hours of police time have been clawed back too – this is a population used to stealing to feed addiction, but the hourly ‘pour’ enables them to refrain from criminal activity.  The Ottawa programme has been introduced in other Canadian cities, and it’s now attracting international attention. Linda Pressly spends time at the Oaks to find out how it works.

(Image: An occupant of the Oaks is given alcohol)

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