Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I will talk today on the tragic consequences for young children and their lifelong health when we have inadequate addictions treatment and prevention programs.
The permanent harm of fetal alcohol disorders are the two common results of parental addiction. Drinking during pregnancy causes a variety of mental, physical and developmental disabilities in children. Mental and cognitive impairments include brain damage, leading to learning disabilities, poor school performance, poor impulse control, problems with memory, attention and judgment. Physical effects include malformations of the brain, the skeletal system and major organs. Small children exposed to repeated toxic stress may grow up to be adults who have difficulty coping with stress, anxiety and mood, and are far more vulnerable to develop substance abuse problems themselves.
Fetal alcohol affected babies grow into adults with poor employment capacity, much greater tendencies for criminal behaviour and fore-shortened lives. Human costs and suffering are untold. Program costs of ill health, corrections, income assistance, unemployment, low productivity and other factors are estimated up to $1.5 million per fetal alcohol affected person. NWT rates of substance abuse and all the negative indicators of social malaise rooted in addictions are among the highest in the country. Adequate and effective substance abuse prevention and treatment programs are essential to improving the health of our families, communities and economy.
Considering the long-term cost of inaction, failure to devote adequate funds now is the most false of economies. When we are aware of parents who clearly love their children yet place even young toddlers in the care of a TV remote control while they engage in their substance abuse, we know tragedy is in the works. As we know, proper loving care is so critical during the early years of a child’s life, even for children born in the very best of health.
Healthy parents and families free of substance abuse are the place to start. Approaches are proven and well suited to delivery through our community health centre service model, healthy baby programs, parenting skills, workshops, and mothers and tots programs provide the points of contacts for people to also seek addictions treatment and counselling.
Unless we start now with prevention and treatment, we can’t break this cycle. Let’s get it done.
Thank you, Mr. Bromley. The honourable Member for Sahtu, Mr. Yakeleya.
