Ladies and gentlemen
Good morning

Theme and Aim of Conference

1 Addiction is a potent force that tempts individuals to take risks and suffer hardships in order to satisfy cravings. The theme for today's conference - "Current Approaches in Addiction Treatment" is a good one. It brings together the unique and valuable experience of everyone of you here, coming from different fields of training and backgrounds, and adds to the existing collective data pool on approaches to addiction treatment.

2 For those of you here who are in recovery yourselves, I urge you to play an active role in the discussions. Your participation is important to add that human factor to what could otherwise be a purely conceptual and theoretical discussion.

The New Threat: On-line Addiction

3 Addiction is most familiar to us in its traditional forms, such as alcoholism, nicotine dependence, drug abuse, and gambling. However, it is presenting a new face through the Internet.

4 With the proliferation of personal computers at home and at work, the phenomenon of on-line addiction has emerged. Addiction to the Internet through chat lines, cyber-pornography, on-line gambling and electronic trading is simply a new strain of an old disease. A study in 1998 of 18,000 Internet users in the United States showed that 5.7 per cent of them were addicted to the Internet. According to the e-ASEAN task force, Singapore had 770,000 Internet subscribers last year. For discussion sake, if we apply the American study to our local context, and 6 per cent of local Internet users were to develop compulsive user habits, then over 46,000 Singaporeans are at risk.

5 As the personal computer becomes as common in our homes as television sets, we need to step up research so as not to be caught unprepared. Like other addictions, the compulsive Internet habit isolates the individual from his family and friends. Dr Greenfield, founder of the Centre for Internet Studies points out the irony when he says that the Internet is, ??a socially connecting device that is socially isolating at the same time?. Behavioural addictions like Internet addiction can destroy the user's health, relationships, happiness, and ultimately, his spirit.

Battle Against Traditional Foes

6 While new forms of addictions, or "addictions" in short, hit the news and catch the public's attention, the Government is carrying on its battle against familiar enemies like heroin, ice and ecstasy.

7 Our comprehensive approach involving both government and non-government agencies has resulted in heroin abuse declining consistently in the last few years. The total number of drug addicts arrested dropped by 49 per cent from 6,200 in 1994 to 3,200 in 2000. Over the same period, the relapse rate also improved from 81 per cent to 44 per cent. However, the use of new forms of psychotropic drugs such as ketamine remains a concern. The government will continue to monitor the use of illicit drugs, and mount enforcement actions relentlessly.

8 However, it is equally important that professionals such as yourselves continue to improve our collective understanding of addictions. I support research and forums that focus on this phenomenon. We need avenues like this to share what we know, both as clinicians and as members of a caring community. Hence, I congratulate the Association of Professional Substance Abuse Counsellors and Institute of Mental Health for organising this timely conference.

Community Addiction Management Programme (CAMP)

9 To continue on this note of optimism, I am also very happy to announce that IMH is launching the Community Addiction Management Programme, or CAMP, for short. CAMP will offer a variety of services, including outpatient detoxification and day treatment, counselling, community education, assessment services, training and research. With a multi-disciplinary complement of physicians, nurses, psychologists, social workers and counsellors, CAMP will make a significant difference in our treatment and understanding of addictions in the local context.

10 While supporting the treatment of familiar addictions such as alcoholism and substance abuse, CAMP will also develop treatment protocols for addictions that include compulsive gambling, addiction to sex and love, pornography and the Internet. It is important that we offer treatment options to addicted individuals who ask for help. As new forms of addictions evolve, CAMP will capitalise on cutting edge treatment technology developed globally. As its name suggests, CAMP plans to meet its objectives by working closely with the community. By forging key partnerships with community groups and developing a vibrant network of volunteers, CAMP will become a familiar landmark in the field of community health.

CAMP's Role in Prisons' Care Network

11 Recently, the Prisons Department entered into a new partnership with various aftercare agencies to offer better and seamless aftercare support for discharged offenders. The Community Action for the Rehabilitation of ex-offenders Network, or CARE for short, will adopt a Case Management approach for the delivery of aftercare services. The aim is to ensure that the aftercare needs of discharged offenders are properly addressed with close co-ordination and timely referral to various helping services. I see that CAMP can play a role in this area. CAMP can be another resource for assistance on addiction issues faced by discharged offenders. I am confident that with its professional and multi-disciplinary set-up, CAMP will be an important referral point for many discharged offenders.

A Regional Outlook

12 The Institute of Mental Health's plan to establish CAMP as a regional leader in addiction research is timely. We need to produce knowledge that is locally and regionally relevant. Most of our present understanding of addictions comes from knowledge centres in the West. We must develop our own unique voice in all areas of research and learning. This will ensure that our policies are informed by knowledge that is culturally appropriate to our way of life.

13 The Prisons Department had recently put in place a new rehabilitation framework and new treatment programmes aimed at reducing re-offending in drugs as well as in crimes. In a prison study involving 1,000 inmates, 77 per cent of those surveyed indicated that they have problems with drug addiction. 27 per cent indicated that they were addicted to alcohol. There are also others whose addiction to gambling or sex has led them to crimes and into trouble with the law. This focus on generating knowledge on various forms of addiction in the local context is thus timely as well as necessary.

14 I hope to see greater co-operation and exchanges between CAMP's researchers and practitioners and the various government agencies involved in the fight against addictions, especially drug addiction.

Addiction the "value-depleter"

15 Ladies and gentlemen, undoubtedly, addictions destroy lives. S.A. King, who has written extensively on human relations in the cyber-age, writes,"A passion adds value to one's life. An addiction takes away value"

16 However, let me conclude on an optimistic note. I am optimistic because we are a caring society. We care enough to organise this conference, to attend, and to participate. And we care enough to develop new ways to help people in distress, as in the launching of CAMP. I know that all of you share my hope and optimism. I wish you a rewarding and enriching learning experience at today's conference. Thank you.