‘It destroys you’: Grieving B.C. dad calls for involuntary youth detox program

“When you’re on the sidelines watching your child self-destruct and you can’t do anything to force them into rehab, it breaks your heart,” grieving father Greg Sword told Global News.

“It destroys you.”

His daughter Kamilah was only 14 years old when she died from an overdose of MDMA, cocaine and hydromorphone.

In the months leading up to her death, she was hospitalized twice after overdosing and met with counsellors and psychiatrists.

But it wasn’t enough to save her.

“It’s disheartening to be in B.C. and finding out that if I lived in a different province, I could have forced my daughter into rehab,” Sword said.

In Alberta, there is a program called PChAD, which stands for Protection of Children Using Drugs Program.

Under that act, parents can ask for a court protection order and involuntarily commit their child under 18 to a detox and stabilization safe house for up to 15 days.

Sword said his daughter’s situation left him feeling hopeless and alone.

“People judge you,” he said.

“You constantly get judged. And you feel like you’re a bad parent. You feel like you’re you’re screwing up, you feel like you’re making mistakes constantly and anytime you reach out, the answer’s ‘no.'”

Sword said it was challenging that even when his daughter was ready to receive help, there was no space for her in a rehab facility.

“It’s just a messed up thing where a child can’t vote, can’t drive, can’t get alcohol, but they can make the decision of what drug they want to use,” he said.

“Even though it’s supposed to be illegal for them, but they can choose whatever drug they want and if you’re a parent and you find out, you can’t do anything to stop them from doing it.”

Sword said the experience was frustrating and upsetting.

B.C.’s Minister of Mental