‘I enjoy getting up and being straight every day, not frightened by addiction.’

Craig Boutilier started using cocaine when he was 17 years old.

“I’ve been doing cocaine for 30 years and I’ve been in and out of jail for about 29 years.”

This month, however, he celebrates his 53rd birthday on May 3 by staying over 100 days sober.

Boutilier said addiction changed his life for the worse because all his thoughts were of what he could steal to satiate his addiction.

“The stores knew me well. I was picking up charges and I’ve been in and out of jail about 18 and 19 times.”

Turning things around for the better, three decades later, Boutilier received help from the New Visions Program in Kentville as part of a disability support program.

He says the addiction made him feel angry and that since sobriety and joining the program, he is now more “cool, calm and collected.”

The New Visions Program has been around since 1992 and has helped numerous people with mental health issues, mobility issues, disabilities and more.

 Boutilier has been a part of this program since the beginning of the year, in January.

“We worked with him to identify what his goal is, based on his needs⁠—he’s really identified [the] skill set for independent living. He’s tremendously helpful, he loves to help out in the community,” said Michael Walsh, owner of New Visions Special Care home.

Michael Walsh with Craig Boutilier in his new apartment. Phooto: contributed.

Walsh explained that the program works on the underlying issues behind any sort of addiction, focusing on recovery and rehabilitation.

“We’re normalizing people with disabilities, not ostracizing them,” added Walsh.

 Boutilier said his experience with cocaine was scary and that he “never wants to go through that again”.

Across Canada, there were reportedly an average of 20 deaths per day in 2021, with a total of 5,368 reported opioid toxicity deaths last year. 

According to the Opioid Use and Overdose Strategy, the 2022 preliminary date shows that 14 Nova Scotia citizens have died from opioid overdoses.

In addition, the pandemic has exasperated the opioid crisis.

Statistics show there has been a 95 per cent increase in opioid toxicity deaths in comparison to the year before.

 Free of charge to all Nova Scotians, a range of services are provided through Addiction Services Authorities offices in District Health Authorities and the IWK. 

As part of his road to recovery, Boutilier attends meetings once a week and said he received great support from his mother and lawyer throughout his journey.

“If I can do it, anybody can do it.”

Listen to the CKDU interview below: