A small percentage of alcoholics don’t respond to traditional addiction treatment programs. Their dependence on alcohol is so severe they often resort to non-beverage alcohol (e.g., hand sanitizer), and are consistently at risk for hospitalization and homelessness. This not only takes a tremendous toll on their health, but is a strain on public resources such as emergency care and police support.

The Managed Alcohol Program (MAP) takes a non-traditional approach to addressing this critical problem. Through MAP, residents in supportive accommodation are provided with regulated doses of alcohol, with the aim of replacing non-beverage alcohol and reducing the harms associated with excessive and unregulated drinking.

After an initial pilot, MAP has received $700,000 for the Centre of Addictions Research BC to conduct a more scientifically rigorous trial. This is made possible by a $600,000 grant from the Canadian Institute of Health Research, as well as $100,000 from the Michael Smith Foundation.

While it may seem counter-intuitive to give alcohol to an alcoholic, the pilot has demonstrated that the program has substantial benefits. Participants are better able to maintain their housing, and report greater well-being and reduce alcohol-related harms.

“One of our MAP participants had gone to the emergency room 100 times in the year prior to entry into MAP,” says Dr. Ronald Joe, Associate Medical Director of Community Addiction Services at Vancouver Coastal Health. “If you cost that out, it’s a lot of money into the system. But since the MAP intervention, he’s only gone to the emergency room five times. His health is improved, and it reduces the burden on the hospital systems, with less strain on public funds.”

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