From: Darren D. MacDonald, thenorthbaybay.ca staff
NORTH BAY – With the issues of drug addiction and drug abuse in North Bay, local medical man Dr. Dave Ugman was asked to see if there was any link between local crime and the methadone clinics in the community.
“The overwhelming majority of those who seek treatment using methadone are in real recovery,” explains Dr. Ugman. “Of those receiving treatment, less than 5% are causing any problems in the community.”
“Methadone itself is not the problem: drug addiction is.”
But having heard Dr. Ugman’s response, random people on Facebook can’t help but ask – “What does he know?”
Doubting the doctors
“What does he know? That information doesn’t mesh with my preconceived idea of North Bay’s drug issues, so it can’t be true,” explains local not-a-doctor Josh Reitman.
Many have shared Reitman’s opinions on social media, questioning why the city should trust a word Dr. Ugman says.
“Like, what do doctors know? Ooooh, they went to school for a long time. Well, I spent 7 years in high school! Does that make me a doctor?”
Anecdote =/= Evidence
“You’d trust a plumber if they told you a drainage pipe was busted open and leaking raw sewage into your basement,” says Dr. Ugman. “So why don’t people trust medical professionals?”
While many will see Ugman’s news as good news, the physician warns that there is still a conversation to be had about drug addiction in North Bay.
“It’s a complicated, difficult topic,” explains Dr. Ugman. “One that isn’t being helped by people who willfully ignore legitimate information from valid sources.”
“Just because being contrarian was the single personality trait you picked out for yourself in high school doesn’t mean it has to be the single personality trait you have now. Grow the f$#k up, people.”