As North America grapples with devastating opioid and methamphetamine epidemics, a controversial solution is gaining traction: forced drug treatment. The debate pits personal liberty against desperate measures to save lives and reclaim public spaces.
A Life Interrupted, A Life Saved
Timothy Rohan's journey into addiction and recovery began eight years ago in Holyoke, Massachusetts. The construction worker embarked on a plan to shoplift bags of shrimp from a supermarket, intending to sell the stolen seafood to local bodegas to fund his fentanyl habit.
His scheme was cut short when police officers intercepted him, placing him in handcuffs before he could commit the theft. Hours later, despite having no criminal charges, Rohan found himself before a judge. His mother had invoked Massachusetts state law 'Section 35', petitioning for his involuntary commitment to a drug-treatment facility.
Rohan spent the next 45 days in a treatment center located within the county jail. This initial stint marked the beginning of a long road that included multiple relapses and four additional commitments over subsequent years. Yet he describes that first involuntary treatment as planting a 'seed of hope' that gradually took root.
Now 36 years old, Rohan has maintained sobriety for two years, started his own family, and found stable employment. He attributes his survival directly to the state's mandatory treatment program, which he says rescued him from what he describes as a 'suicidal' addiction.
'The program itself saved my life,' Rohan states unequivocally. 'Without a doubt I would be dead. The day-to-day life of an addict is a million times crueller than getting handcuffed.'
Canada's Growing Interest in Compulsory Care
The concept of involuntary drug treatment isn't novel. More than 30 U.S. states and numerous European countries have established similar programs. However, as opioid-related overdose deaths continue to mount and drug-induced psychoses contribute to growing homeless encampments across North American cities, the approach is receiving renewed attention.
Canada is now cautiously exploring this controversial path. Alberta is developing the nation's first formal involuntary treatment program. Modeled after procedures for committing mentally ill individuals deemed dangerous to themselves or others, the system will permit families, physicians, police, and others to apply for a user's commitment. These requests will be evaluated by a three-person committee.
Other Canadian jurisdictions are considering similar measures. Ontario's Conservative government is examining forced drug treatment for certain jail inmates, while Manitoba's NDP government recently passed legislation enabling authorities to detain methamphetamine addicts and other severely intoxicated individuals for up to 72 hours.
Former New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs had promised to introduce involuntary therapy for extreme substance-use cases before losing the 2024 election. British Columbia's NDP administration already permits compulsory treatment for individuals dealing with co-occurring mental health conditions and addictions.
The Heated Debate Over Forced Treatment
Despite growing political interest, mandatory drug treatment remains intensely controversial. Critics argue that compelled rehabilitation often proves ineffective and can traumatize participants. Some opponents go further, suggesting that forced treatment can potentially lead to deadly outcomes.
Proponents counter that for the most severely ill individuals, involuntary treatment may represent the difference between death on the streets and a chance at recovery. They point to stories like Rohan's as evidence that, despite its ethical complexities, mandatory intervention can sometimes succeed where voluntary measures have repeatedly failed.
As Canadian provinces weigh this difficult balance between individual rights and communal responsibility, the experiences of jurisdictions with established programs—and the testimony of those like Timothy Rohan who have lived through them—will likely play a crucial role in shaping the future of Canada's approach to its escalating drug crisis.
