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Wolverhampton Drug Service Users Lifestyle MagazineWolverhampton Drug Service Users Lifestyle MagazineWolverhampton Drug Service Users Lifestyle Magazine
Issue 21 : Jan - Feb 2011
SUIT’s Christmas Meal ‘10SUIT’s Christmas Meal ‘10
SUIT Cheer On The WolvesSUIT Cheer On The Wolves
Directory of ServicesDirectory of Services
Free
2
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of this work, no responsibility
for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action as a result
of any statement in it, can be accepted by the editor or by Wolverhampton Voluntary
Sector Council Service User Involvement Team,
Welcome to Welcome to Welcome to
Welcome to issue 21 of Substance and the start of a New
Year, we hope you all had a happy Christmas and New
Year and are safe and well.
As usual we have a great mix of real life stories, poems
and the latest news. A big thank you to everyone who
has contributed to this issue and keep on sending us your
work this magazine wouldn't be here without it.
Many of you may know that we held a Christmas meal
back in December, it was a great success and we would
like to thank everyone for their help and the generosity of
the stores who donated to us. You can read more about
this on pages 8 and 9.
We welcome all your suggestions, ideas and work. If you
have anything you would like to send us you can find our
address on the opposite page. Once again thank you
and keep up the good work.
Substance Magazine Editorial Group.
This magazine is put together by Wolverhamp-
ton Service User Involvement Team who hold
weekly editorial group meetings to discuss its
content, printing etc. If you would like to be
part of the Team please call us on (01902)
328983 or text your details to 88010 starting
your message with the word SUIT.
Local Service Directory
Full Address: Wolverhampton PCT Tel No: (01902) 444030
Addiction Services
Horizon House
Pitt Street
Wolverhampton
WV3 0NF
A l c oh o l an d Dru g D rop In -
Monday to Thursday -: 9:30am - 4:30pm
Service User Involvement Team
S U I T Full Address:
c/o WVSC
16 Temple Street
Wolverhampton
WV2 4AN
Tel No -:
01902 328983 or
w w w . s u i t e a m . c o m
Helping to improve
drug treatment and lives
Subs– see young
people across
the city at various
community
venues.
Telephone
Number:
01902 572041
Opening Hours:
Monday to Thursday - 9am - 6pm
Friday - 9am - 5pm
Offers; Group Work, Key Work, Harm
Reduction, Substitute Prescribing,
Acupuncture, Family Therapy,
General Drug Information.
Progress 2
Work
Contact Dani Folan on
(07814 414560) or ask your key
worker or Jobcentre Advisor to
be referred.
Local Service Directory
LITTLE BROTHERS OF THE GOOD
SHEPHERD
The Methodist Cen-
tre. 24 School Street,
Wolverhampton
Morning Service
10.30 – 11.30 a.m.
Monday & Thursday: Dry Food,
Gents Clothes, Male Showers
Friday: Gents Clothes, Male
Shower
Afternoon Service: 2 – 3.30 pm.
Daily: Service of Food Packages
If you need any advice or guidance on Homelessness
issues feel free to
contact Wolver-
hampton City
Council on the
details below -:
Homeless Services
Unit
Social Services
Wolverhampton City
Council
Civic Centre
St. Peter's Square
Wolverhampton
The Lords
Soup Kitchen Full Meals
served
between
7 & 9pm - :
Sun and Wed.
For anyone in
need.
All Welcome
● Provide advice & guidance
● Activities like life skills, literacy etc
● Signposting
● Benefits & Tenancy advice
St. GeorgesSt. GeorgesSt. Georges Tel -:
(01902) 421904
St Marks Rd
Chapel Ash
W’ton
WV3 09H Hub
Opening Hrs
09:15 -17:00
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What’s inside this edition. Contents Page
The latest news Pg 4-5
The new drugs strategy Pg 6-7
SUIT‘s Christmas meal Pg 8-9
Poem– My Dad Pg 10
New Year wordsearch Pg 11
There is always hope Pg 12-13
SUIT Women's group Pg 14
A page for you Pg 15-16
Recipe page Pg 17
A tribute to Wayne Starr Pg 18-19
Poem—What‘s Life Pg 20 Your Questions Pg 21
Poem - The End Is Near Pg 22
SUIT cheer on the Wolves Pg 23
Local NA meetings Pg 24
Needle exchange pharmacies Pg 25
Local service Directory Pg 26-27
DON‘T FORGET
Anyone can contribute an article, poem, story, question etc. Send your stuff FREE to:
SUIT, c/o WVSC, FREEPOST MID14051, Wolverhampton, WV2 4BR.
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News - News - News – News - News - News - News - News
Jobcentre Staff to Hand out Food Vouchers.
The government will hand out food vouchers to people on benefits as
part of a wider campaign to allow charities to step in when the state
fails to deliver, it emerged today.
Iain Duncan Smith, the work and pensions secretary, has signalled that
from next month Jobcentre Plus staff will be able to distribute vouchers
for food packages containing enough donated items to feed a family
for three days.
The food is meant for "emergencies" – when benefits payments are
delayed, or debt means children go hungry. The scheme limits each
family to three sets of vouchers a year. It will be operated from 79 food
banks across the country run by the Trussell Trust, a Christian charity.
The charity says it will help 60,000 people this year, and aims to launch
200 UK food banks by 2013, feeding more than 140,000. The Trussell Trust
director, Chris Mould, said the Labour government had stopped staff
from issuing vouchers during the recession in 2008 because it worried
about a food bank "postcode lottery".
Mould said he was worried about warnings, most recently from the
Institute for Fiscal Studies, that inflation and reforms could see nearly a
million more people in poverty. He said: "We do have concerns that the
government reforms will mean we will have to deal with more cases as
cuts hit."
The initiative is also politically controversial, allowing critics to claim
charities are filling a vacuum left by the government.
The Trussell Trust depends on frontline professionals, such as health visi-
tors, social workers and doctors, to give the vouchers to people they
encounter who do not have enough money to feed themselves.
"We don't want to encourage a dependency and also recognise that
poor families need the help of a care professional who can work out a
plan for them," said Mould.
The Department for Work and Pensions said the government
"recognised the merit of having additional targeted support in place,
such as food banks, which play an important role in local communities.
Jobcentre Plus is already in discussion with the Trussell Trust and they
have agreed to work together in the New Year." Source: www.guardian.co.uk
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A List of Pharmacies In Wolverhampton who Offer Needle Exchange
A Brickley Ltd, 88 Griffiths Drive, WV11 2JW
All Saints Pharmacy, 91-93 All Saints Road, WV2 1DR
Alpharm Ltd, 468 Stafford Road, WV10 6AP
Anderson Chemist, 311 Dudley Road, WV2 3JE
Boots Pharmacy, 40-41 Dudley Street, WV1 3ER
Boots Pharmacy, 100 Church Street, Bilston, WV14 0BJ
Brooklands Pharmacy, 48 Brooklands Parade, WV1 2NE
Brutons Pharmacy, 1 Mervyn Place, Bilston, WV14 8DD
Co-op Pharmacy, Avion Centre, 6 Bargate Drive, WV6 0QW
Co-op Pharmacy, 425 Dudley Road, WV2 3AH
Co-op Pharmacy, 8 Showell Circus, WV10 9BA
Co-op, Pendeford Health Centre, Whitburn Close, WV9 5NJ
Essington Pharmacy, 129 Long Knowle Lane, WV11 1JG
HN Pharmacy, 124 Cannock Road, WV10 8PW
Lloyds Pharmacy, 323/325 Penn Road, WV4 5QF
Lloyds Pharmacy, 34/35 Thornley Street, WV1 1JP
Lloyds Pharmacy, 18-20 The Broadway, WV10 8EB
Lloyds Pharmacy, 45 Church Street, WV14 0AX
Lloyds Pharmacy, Lower Street, WV6 9NS
Lloyds Pharmacy, 181 Wednesfield Road, WV10 0EN
Lloyds Pharmacy, 18 High Street, Wednesfield, WV11 1SZ
Meerapharm, 331 Bushbury Lane, WV10 9UJ
Murrays Healthcare, 128 Childs Avenue, Coseley, WV14 9XB
Phoenix Pharmacy, Phoenix Health Centre, Parkfield Road, WV4 6ED
Staveley Chemist, 212 Staveley Road, WV1 4RH
Supercare Pharmacy, 135 Dudley Road, WV2 3HD
Superdrug Pharmacy, 65/67 Mander Square, WV1 3NN
Tettenhall Wood Pharmacy, 12 School Road, WV6 8EN
All equipment is provided for free
Look out
for this sign
on the shop
front to find
out if they
provide the
service
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W o l v e r h a m p t o n ►Monday 7:30 pm Methodist Church, Darlington Street
►Friday 7:30 pm Methodist Church, Darlington Street
W e s t B r o m w i c h ►Wednesday 7:30 pm ‗One desire-freedom‘, Chapter House
Phoenix St
(upstairs in lounge ring bell for access).
W a l s a l l ►Thursday 7:30 pm ‗The war is over‘, St Matthew centre,
St Matthew close, Churchill. (Ring bell for
access).
S t o u r b r i d g e ►Monday 8:00 pm 54, Claycroft Place, Lye DY9 8BZ
►Tuesday 8:00 pm Gibbs House, Gibbs Rd, off Bald Lane, Lye.
►Wednesday 6:30 pm ‗The truth in Lye‘, The Warehouse,
Atlantic House,
Dudley Rd. (Building behind the Bronx).
- Open on request.
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News - News - News – News - News - News - News - News
SUIT Receive Donation by a Wolves Legend
Steve Bull presented SUIT Manager (Sunny Dhadley) with
various gifts that were used at the Christmas meal (page 9-10), and
the others were passed onto the Womens Team at
Horizon House (and given to service users children).
Young People Turning Away From Class A‘s The number of under-18s accessing services fell by more than 500 in 2009-10
to 23,528, according to Substance misuse among young people: the data
for2009-10.
The number of under-18s entering treatment for primary heroin and crack
use more than halved over five years, with the use of cocaine as primary
drug falling by 43 per cent in the past two years, says the report. Problems
with cannabis and/or alcohol now account for 90 per cent of all cases of
young people receiving help, with the number accessing services for pri-
mary ecstasy use falling by 79 per cent in two years. More than twice as
many under-18s complete treatment successfully than five years ago, says
theNTA.
‘We had already identified a generational shift amongst young adults (18-
24) who are turning away from class A drugs,’ said chief executive Paul
Hayes. ‘Now we learn that the same thing is happening amongst teenagers,
too. Most young people turning to drug treatment for help have problems
associated with cannabis and alcohol. For those teenagers who seek help,
substance misuse is usually one of a range of problems causing difficulties in
their life which is why treatment services must work with partners in youth
services to offer a range of support.’ Source; DDN
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Its Finally Here - The New 10 Year Drug Strategy
In late December 2010, the drug strategy for drugs was released by the government. This document outlines what the government are hoping to achieve, and how they want treatment services to support drug users.
This strategy focuses on the following headings -:
Current state of play ☺ Estimated no. of users ☺ Patterns in age & usage ☺ Alcohol ☺ Polysubstance use ☺ Mental health ☺ Young people ☺ Legal highs
Reducing demand The best possible start Education & information for all Early intervention (young people & families) Intensive support for young people Legislation, sentencing & diversion Offenders Restricting supply Law enforcement reforms Integrated enforcement Reducing supply in prisons Criminal businesses Legal highs
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SUIT Cheer on the Wolves
This kind of story is becoming a regular type of
story that we cover at SUIT.
SUIT were donated 20 tickets by Birmingham Midshires to take service
users and their families along to support their local team Wolverhampton
Wanderers FC at the Molineux.
Luckily, the game that we
were allocated tickets for was the match against
Chelsea on Wednesday 5th January 2011.
To be brutally honest, none of us would have envisaged the result of the contest.
But just as addicts can be the underdogs in life, Wolves were the underdogs in this game and they showed a fighting spirit to win the game 1-0.
Testament that hard work and a bit of luck can lead to extraordinary results.
It was a brilliant day overall, and thanks to the generosity of the certain people, we all enjoyed an
experience that did not consist of a bag, or pipe or any other illicit substance and showed us all that
life can be the biggest buzz of all.
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The End Is Near
The end of the year is here
A new year ever so near
Topping up credit on the mobile phone
Making sure I’m not seeking a loan
The snow is falling in due measure
For us to use at our leisure
Christmas a time of merry and joy
At the end of a season, not a toy
Government expenses cut and exposed
Benefits subtracted and not overdosed
Media packages at an all time high
Fitting into a society they know will buy
For you and I, a very cold time
Another time to get through, as the bells chime
Father Christmas delivering his gifts
Through the chimney he fall was swift
Merry Christmas is the message
To all of you and not the dosage.
Anonymous.
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Cracking down on internet sales Follow the money & seize the assets Cutting agents & precursor chemicals Strengthened International partnerships Building RECOVERY in communities Systems locally led & owned Outcomes focus Whole systems approach Inspirational recovery orientated workforce Keeping children safe & rebuilding families Reintegration into communities Tackling housing needs Helping people find sustained employment Test approaches - money following success
This sounds like a lot, and it is, however all of the headings play a key role in ensuring that people suffering from substance misuse get the help and support that they need.
This means that as a user treatment, employment, housing and criminal justice systems should be geared towards helping people to recover from their addiction (or at least progress towards it).
It is an extensive document, that obviously goes into greater detail. If you are interested in having a look at it, then you can log onto -:
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/drugs/drug-strategy/drug-strategy-2010
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We held a Christmas meal at the All
Nations Christian Centre on Thursday 16th
December 2010.
We prepared & cooked a 3 course meal by
hand ourselves,
and invited as many
service users to
attend as possible.
We are pleased to announce that the event was a great
success, with over 100 people attending and enjoying the
whole experience.
Unfortunately, we did run out of turkey, but this will prepare
us for next year, as the turnout was way beyond what we
expected. So thanks to everyone who came !
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Your questions answered
Q. I would like to start volunteering
but have a child aged 3, is there any
funding available for a nursery
place?
Anon.
A. All children regardless of status:
- can start nursery the term after their
3rd Birthday
- are entitled to 15 hours in a nursery
for FREE
For more information or to find your
local nursery please contact:-
Wolverhampton Family Information
Service (WFIS)
10 King Street, Wolverhampton, WV1
1ST tel: 01902 574242.
Got a Question?
Need Answers?
Don‘t know where to
turn?
Send your questions to SUIT and we
will get the answers you deserve.
Simply post your question to -:
Substance Magazine
SUIT c/o WVSC
Freepost 14051
Wolverhampton
WV2 4BR
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What‘s Life
Need to live it like a rock and roll star
But just think what you are doing
Like me, I tried it, and will end up wrecked
So I am trying to come back
But lots goes through your mind
And makes me feel bad
I feel like hurting myself sometimes
But you have to cope the best you can
Just think what you are doing
God Bless
By Wayne Starr
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We must thank all the SUIT volunteers who worked so hard in
ensuring that everything went well.
And also thank the following companies for donating gifts for
the day -:
10
My Dad My dad was a good dad, So I’ve been told
Tall, dark and handsome, A sight to behold
My dad was a good dad, So I’ve been told A very good dad, Till the drugs got a hold
He died from an overdose, So I’ve been told
I don't remember, I was only 3 years old
By Anon.
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the truth I wouldn’t have known what to look for. However when
Wayne’s brother Chrissie died in 1998, I noticed he became more
withdrawn and started on a downward spiral that would eventually
end up with his untimely death at the age of 34. I saw less and less
of Wayne as the years passed, I noticed he was losing a lot of
weight, when id ask, he’d just say he was ok, and for me not to
worry. Wayne did enter rehab as he knew that the drugs were ruin-
ing his lifestyle. He’d be clean for a while, and be looking really
healthy, but more often than not he would relapse back onto her-
oin. A lot of people assume people with drug and alcohol addic-
tion, are scumbags, who rob and steal off anyone just to get a fix,
but that’s not always true, my sons never stole off me, they always
try to make sure I had enough. They were normal lads who sadly
got bitten by the heroin bug. My youngest son Matthew passed
away from a drug overdose in 2008, he was only 28.Despite what’s
been said about the Avondale hotel where Wayne died, I know
that they done all they could for my son whilst he lived there, the
same goes for Horizon house and SUIT, where he would attend for
help with his addiction.
I still feel like Wayne is still around and it saddens me to think of what
he went through, but at the same time I feel better now knowing
where he is and is not suffering anymore. If I had a message for any-
one who is addicted to drink or drugs, it would be please think
about what its doing to yourself and your family, I only have one
child left now and that’s what keeps me going, otherwise I don’t
know what id do.
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A Tribute to Starry by a SUIT Volunteer
As you may have read, in past issues of Substance we’ve had
stories from addicts and ex addicts. In this issue, I interviewed the
mother of an addict, who sadly passed away in October. I have
interviewed a couple of people for Substance, and this interview
was by far the most difficult, as it was very emotional, for both Mrs
Star and myself. I really felt this courageous woman’s pain as she
explained what it was like to lose not one, but three sons, two to
drugs, and one son who were murdered. No one could explain
what this woman has been through, and the fact she agreed to
this interview speaks volumes about the woman she is. This is Mrs
Star’s story in her own words.
There’s been a lot been said about my son Wayne over the years,
some good some not so good, id like to tell you about the real
Wayne, the one I knew and loved, as did a lot of people who
knew him.
Wayne was one of four children, two brothers and one sister; he
came from a normal household, and never went without. As a
child, he and the rest of my children witnessed me being physi-
cally and mentally abused, but this stopped when my boys were
old enough to stand up to their Dad. He was a normal child who
seemed to be in his element around the younger kids, and ex-
celled in Art while at school, he always seemed to be doodling or
sketching something. He had a great sense of humour and would
always have time for those less unfortunate than himself.
All in all he had a lot going for him, when he left Morton School, he
took a job with Mc Alpines working on the Wolves stadium which
he loved, earning his own money, and he took pride in himself and
his appearance.
I knew Wayne was smoking cannabis at around 14, I wasn’t happy
but thought it was something he would grow out of, like most lads
of that age he would have a drink on weekends, as it didn’t affect
his work I didn’t worry too much.
I didn’t know if he was experimenting with hard drugs then, to tell
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N Z O S A L E S J
V E D I K O G H A
D N W A F V J O N
B D O Y R E K L U
S L I F E K T I A
U T I V S A F D R
X N A G H P R A Y
W C V R H B K Y A
N D I E T T F P J
New Year Word Search
New Year
Fresh
January
Sales
Diet
Love
Holiday
End
Start
Life
Dark
Light
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― T h e r e i s a l w a y s h o p e ‖ By…………..
I first started taking drugs when I was fifteen; drinking and smoking
cannabis, mainly out of curiosity. Over the next couple of years I
experimented with acid, magic mushrooms and speed.
I met my first partner when I was seventeen and quickly moved in with
her. Over the next ten years I continued to drink and smoke heavily,
spending most of my time in the pub selling weed. Though clothed and
fed I wasn’t a very good father to my two children, or a good partner.
In my mid-twenties I first tried heroin and I felt I’d discovered the drug for
me. I also used crack, but always made sure that there was a bag of
heroin there for me. I continued to sell weed to fund my class A use. My
customers gradually drifted away, it finally reached the stage where I
would sell a bag of weed and score a bag of heroin.
My first shock came when I was remanded in custody for burglary. I
ended up in Winson green prison. After twelve years of being stoned
each day it was quite a shock to suddenly be sober. Endless sleepless
nights watching it grow dark and slowly get light again. Finally I was
transferred to Blakenhurst prison, once there I enrolled with the educa-
tion department and fell back on my talent of drawing portraits for
phone cards. This gave me the means to score draw. I could get stoned
again.
After six months on remand i was released from court with time served.
My partner was there but it was clear she didn’t want me back home. I
moved back into my mom and dads, though free from the heroin i
continued to smoke weed. I managed to get myself a job. Then i got
news that my old using partner was out of jail, i went straight to where
he was staying and after a brief hello i asked him to go and score heroin
for me.
I was still staying at home and using when my mum was taken ill with
secondary cancer, she went downhill quickly and passed away in the
hospital before reaching Compton Hospice. After travelling back home
my first move was to go and find her Morphine tablets.
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Recipe
Chicken & chorizo stew
Ingredients
100g of skinless chicken
breasts, diced
30g of chorizo (unsliced),
sliced
1/3 small red onion, sliced
1/2 small tin of chopped
tomatoes
1/2 tin of chickpeas, drained
1x new potato (70g)
1 garlic clove, finely
chopped
200ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp tomato puree Method
Serves: One
Difficulty: Easy
Cost: £1.84 per serving
Prep. Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
1. Heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the onion and garlic for 2-3
minutes or until the onion is soft. Add the chicken and cook for 5
minutes or until slightly browned.
2. Add the chorizo and cook for about a minute. Stir in the chick-
peas, potato, tomato, tomato puree and stock and bring to the
boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes, topping up
with a little extra stock if required. Season to taste with salt and
pepper and serve immediately.
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A Page For You!
This page has been left blank so you can send us
your stories, poems or anything else you would
like to see in the magazine, simply tear the
page out and send it to our freepost
address printed on the opposite side of the
page. (If you don’t want your name with it, you don't have to)
13
I was still drinking (mostly whisky) and scoring daily. I had lost my
Grandmother whilst on remand, split with my partner and had now
lost my mum. I was earning a good wage but had reached the stage
where there was none of my wages left at the end of the week after
buying my drink and heroin. My heroin intake was increasing daily but
i still didn’t consider my addict. I was turning up to work drunk and dis-
appearing at dinnertime to score and they finally had enough of me
and let me go.
I didn’t know what to do, how to continue using as much as i had
been and turned to steling from my dad. Firstly i found his bank card
with his pin number and took the account to the overdraft limit. I then
forged four cheques, the bank finally got intouch with him, the police
were called and i was kicked out.
Luckily when bailed i found a place in the Good Shepherd hostel. At
least i had a bed but i was surrounded by other drug users. It was all
around me, all i had to do was find the money to score. I started to go
out shoplifting. At first it went reasonably well for me as my face
wasn’t known. As i was going out shoplifting every day i could only
get away with it for so long. At first i would be arrested and bailed,
appear in court, get fined and be off shoplifting the next day.
Through the staff at the Good Shepherd i got my first flat. Though not
prepared or equipped to do so i moved in. My offending continued, i
was beginning to be refused bail. On a couple of occasions i gave
false details in the police station, getting bail under a false name. That
caught up with me and i was charged with perverting the course of
justice and was sentenced to six months in prison. That meant i lost my
flat along with all my belongings once released. I stayed with who-
ever would put me up. I finally got a rundown bedsit through a friend.
After years of denial i went and registered myself as an addict, get-
ting on to a Methadone script while continuing to use. I would en-
gage with councillors as little as possible doing the least required to
get my medication. No matter what was going on, everything was
fine. In and out as quickly as possible.
To be continued in the next issue of Substance...........
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