Is Harm Reduction the Answer to Addiction in Canada?Drug addiction and addiction is a problem that has since time immemorial, continues to affect billions of people, families and communities. across the world. In addition to the health risks to individuals, drug abuse has disastrous socio-economic effects as it imposes enormous financial and social burdens on society. Many families are destroyed, economies ruined while communities are persecuted. Drug abuse also jeopardizes the safety of society as a whole and places undue demands on the education system, the law and the social service system, and Canada is no exception to this problem. According to the Canadian Center on Drug Abuse, the Canadian government spends up to $14 million on rehabilitation and treatment programs each year (2). The cost of the problem is estimated at approximately $1,267 per person in Canada in terms of health care, law enforcement and lost productivity, not including personal costs. This article will discuss the harm reduction approach to solving the problem of drug addiction in Canada.Drug Abuse and Substance AbuseAccording to Drug and Substance Abuse in Canada, drug abuse is common among youth and young adults and even more so among Aboriginal people and sex workers. , the homeless (Single et al. 6). Dependence can be defined as the chronic use of drugs accompanied by problems resulting from their use. Even if the person is aware of the consequences of using this drug, they continue to use it. If left unaddressed, addiction can lead to serious social problems and even death (Hanson et al. 36). In order to combat drug addiction, it is essential to understand the addiction itself and where it comes from. Substance use and abuse are...... middle of document ......ian Center on Substance Abuse, 2009. Print. Hallam, Christopher. “A Briefing Paper on Heroin-Assisted Treatment: State of the Art.” » Idpc.net. Idcp.net, and Web. July 4, 2010. Hanson, Glen R. et al. Drugs and society. Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2011. Print. Kelly, Partick. “Drinks are free at the homeless shelter: served every 90 minutes: Alcohol Management Program reduces alcohol consumption.” National Post 7 2006. January 1, 2006: printed. Lintzeris, Nicholas. "Heroin prescribing for the management of heroin dependence: current status". CNS Drugs 23.6 (2009): 463-76. Print.Marlatt, Alan G. Harm reduction: pragmatic strategies for managing high-risk behavior. New York, NY: Guilford Press, 2002. Print.Single Eric et al. The costs of drug addiction in Canada: a cost estimation study. : Ottawa, ON: Canadian Center on Substance Abuse, 1996. Print.