Many people at a public forum on youth addiction Thursday night in Charlottetown said they want authorities to force addicted teens into treatment.

The meeting was one of several consultations the provincial Health Department has scheduled across the Island to gather public input into a youth addiction facility promised by Health Minister Chester Gillan.

"I think mandatory treatment is pretty near essential because if I'm under the influence of my addiction, my addiction makes all my decisions," said Jimmy Doyle, a retired addictions counsellor whose grandson died as a result of drug use.

"No one could do anything with my grandson. And I don't blame them for that. He was just out of control but apparently he couldn't get the help he needed."

Gillan has said forcing treatment may violate the charter rights of teenagers, but there was no doubt at the meeting that addicted teens need more treatment options than what is currently available.

Harry Wolters' 17-year-old son had to go off-Island for treatment. Wolters told the meeting his family was lucky.

"One road block that we did have was the facility in Mount Herbert. We took him there and they could not keep him there," he said.

"In this case, we didn't lose our window of opportunity, but if a youth decides they want to change, they have to be able to walk in somewhere and say, 'Please help me.' "

Currently, youth needing treatment are sent to New Brunswick. Everyone at Thursday's meeting agreed an inpatient facility is needed on the Island.

All the comments raised in the forums will be highlighted in a report that will be delivered to the health minister by the end of March.