Why alcohol treatment remains hard to access in Canada
Alcohol-use disorder care is falling short in Canada as alcohol drives major harm. See why experts say stigma and underused treatments leave many people without help.
A CBC report examines why many Canadians with alcoholuse disorder are not getting help, even though alcohol causes more harm in Canada than any other drug overall.
The story focuses on Jordan Kawchuk, a writer and former TV producer who has spent years cycling through treatment and recently completed another residential program in Nanaimo, B.C. It also highlights doctors and addiction specialists who say alcoholrelated harm is widely underestimated and often poorly treated in the healthcare system.
Experts interviewed in the article say effective medications and other sciencebased treatments are underused, while stigma, limited awareness among physicians, and reliance on support groups alone can leave patients without enough care. The report also notes that alcohol use is linked to major healthsystem costs, hospitalizations, and deaths in Canada.