ManitobaA group of high-ranking health professionals has written a letter in support of the Manitoba government’s plan to detain highly intoxicated people for up to 72 hours.Important to have safe place for people who pose risk to themselves or others: Dr. Jitender Sareen Darren Bernhardt · CBC News · Posted: Oct 16, 2025 2:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 hours agoThis building at 190 Disraeli Fwy. is where the NDP plans to open a ‘protective care centre,’ or detox site, as early as Nov. 1. (Rudi Pawlychyn/CBC)A group of high-ranking health professionals has written a letter in support of the Manitoba government’s plan to detain highly intoxicated people for up to 72 hours.Manitoba Addictions Minister Bernadette Smith has said the NDP hopes to open the “protective care centre” at 190 Disraeli Fwy. on Nov. 1.Smith has tabled a bill to extend the length of time a detox centre could hold someone found intoxicated on meth or other drugs. The maximum detention of intoxicated people is currently limited to 24 hours.A bill needs to pass three readings to become law. Smith’s passed first reading two weeks ago.Dr. Jitender Sareen, one of four signatories to the letter in support of the change, said the group took that step “because of the important problem that we have in Manitoba of crystal meth intoxication-related mental health difficulties.”The 24-hour detention law was put in place to deal with alcohol inebriation, not the substances widely available now.Dr. Jitender Sareen is one of four medical professionals who signed a letter in support of the provincial NDP government’s changes to the Intoxicated Persons Detention Act, which are making their way through the legislature. (Megan Goddard/Radio-Canada)”Crystal meth is associated with psychotic symptoms, paranoia. Most people are able to manage without any help, but some have persistent psychotic symptoms that are related to the substance that lasts beyond 24 hours, usually within 48 to 72 hours,” said Sareen, the provincial specialty lead for mental health and addictions with Shared Health.Shared Health is the organization responsible for planning and co-ordination of Manitoba’s health system.The letter was also signed by Dr. Erin Knight, medical director of the addictions services program at Health Sciences Centre, Dr. Rob Grierson, medical director of the Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service and chief medical officer of emergency response services for Shared Health.The fourth name on the list is Ben Fry, Shared Health’s chief operating officer for mental health and addictions. “We felt that it was very important that the legislation could help support people being able to be supported in a safe place when they are at risk to themselves, others or unable to make decisions,” said Sareen, who is also head of the University of Manitoba’s department of psychiatry.The 72-hour mark aligns with the Mental Health Act, which says a person can be held against their will for up to that long if exhibiting mental health symptoms like psychosis or posing a substantial risk to themselves.”But that doesn’t mean they have to be held for that long,” Sareen said.When it comes to detention for highly intoxicated people, “we imagine that most people will recover and be able to leave within 48 hours,” he said.“Our concern often is that when somebody has crystal meth intoxication and psychosis, that can also trigger an underlying mental health issue — schizophrenia or depression or bipolar disorder,” Sareen said.”So the aim is to really ensure daily assessments, and if the person has persistent mental health concerns, then we would be helping them through the Mental Health Act and moving them into a mental health facility.”Some residents in the area have said they’re against the proposed location for the facility, which is across from a school and a daycare.The site is part of a complex previously eyed for a safe consumption site by the NDP. That plan was shelved amid pushback from community members.Sareen wants family physicians with addictions training or nurse practitioners on site to prescribe drugs such as methodone or diabetes medication, or to treat other physical health issues.”And there is a need for psychiatry assessment to see if the psychosis symptoms or depression or self-harm symptoms need to be managed more in an in-patient facility but also help the person, if they want to go into the community, to connect them to the right resources,” he said.Paramedics and security would be present 24/7 and the physicians or nurses would be there during the day, said Sareen, who’s working with the province to have the staff necessary to open Nov. 1. No other province has a similar 72-hour facility, he said, so the model is being created in Manitoba.”There are other provinces that have involuntary treatment for addictions, but we are the first to do this.”Asked if he thinks the Nov. 1 target is realistic, Sareen said, “We’re working with governments to meet the timelines as best as possible.”ABOUT THE AUTHORDarren Bernhardt has been with CBC Manitoba since 2009 and specializes in offbeat and local history stories. He is the author of two bestselling books: The Lesser Known: A History of Oddities from the Heart of the Continent, and Prairie Oddities: Punkinhead, Peculiar Gravity and More Lesser Known Histories.With files from Meaghan Ketcheson
Docs support 72-hour detention for highly intoxicated people in Winnipeg
