Remember, North Vancouver, Seymour, Thank You. Mr. speaker, mental health and addictions are complex issues that drastically affect the way people live their lives from work to one's relationships, to one's overall quality of life. These effects extend far beyond the individual. They affect our communities and society. Helping people out of addiction has obvious social and individual benefits, but less are known about the financial benefits. Harm reduction keeps people alive, but alone it does not help them address the root cause of their addiction or support them on the road to recovery.

The recent overdose rates that have not decreased prove we are not getting to the root of the addiction the. Why is it mental health trauma, adverse childhood experiences, pain and a repeated cycle of discharge and relapses, ultimately, a greater cost to society and the and the people and the families affected. A more comprehensive approach to treating addiction requires a continuum of care ranging from prevention, treatment to recovery and reintegration into society. Together we can addiction. Recovery in education society knows is better than anyone and I quote Tristan Elliot for every chronic addict.

You help recover and become a taxpayer again. There is a five hundred to seven hundred and twenty thousand dollar savings if that individual remains sober for 20 years, research suggests addiction, cost Canadians between twenty to forty billion dollars a year in lost productivity, health care and the legal system. A person struggling with addiction cost between eleven thousand to twenty-two thousand dollars per year, and this can easily be over a hundred thousand. In some cases.

Therefore, the success of addiction treatment should be measured, not just on not being on welfare, not being in hospital not being in jail, but what's the contribution to society, the quality of life, reconnecting with family building social responsibility and optimizing wellness when we support people through a continuum of care, we save mr.speaker BC needs to rise up and help people trying to overcome addiction and give them every opportunity to work through a full pathway to recovery. Thank you.