Pubdate: Tue, 21 Mar 2000 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2000, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: #250, 4990-92 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, T6B 3A1 Canada Fax: (780) 468-0139 Website: http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonSun/ Forum: http://www.canoe.ca/Chat/home.html Author: Rachel Evans TEENS SAY CRACK EASY TO GET Crack isn't just used daily at local high schools, it's readily available to anyone who wants it, say local students. A Grade 11 student at M.E. LaZerte high school in north Edmonton insisted if he asked the right people he could find the drug at or near his school in "five minutes." "You know who the people are (dealing)," said the student, who didn't want his name used and insisted he just says no to crack. "Crack's been around for a long time. (School is) where you mostly get offered." The student and two friends said they know students who smoke crack habitually. They added that the drug is usually supplied by students or dealers outside the school. The boys backed up a conclusion of Dr. Louis Pagliaro, an associate director of the University of Alberta's substance abusology research unit, who told The Sunday Sun it would be hard to find an Edmonton high school where crack wasn't being used every day. Similarly, a group of 14-year-old Grade 9 girls from J.J. Bowlen Catholic junior high, 6110 144 Ave., said they also have access to crack. One girl admitted trying it once after buying it from a girl at a neighbouring school. "It makes you tired," she said, adding of her friends, "We've all tried it. They just don't want to admit it." One of the girls said she could get crack at school within a "couple of minutes (because dealers) usually have it on them." Another said, "In every school you have (student) dealers." However, Edmonton deputy police chief Colin Vann was shocked to learn the number of high school kids who admitted to using crack during random Sun interviews yesterday. "I'm surprised at the reporter's finding," he said. "I was talking to the superintendent in charge of our school resource officers and there's been no information passed to him to support an increase of crack use at the high school level." Twin Grade 12 students at Archbishop O'Leary high school, 8760 132 Ave., said crack use at city schools was news to them. "I've never seen any and never heard about anybody talking about it," said Cathy Pucci, 17. Her sister Elena was insulted to be painted with the same brush as crack users just because she's in high school. "It's making us look bad," she said. "It's saying 'if you're in high school you're a crackhead.' " Meanwhile, about one-third of city schools now receive a program from city police officers called Drug Abuse Resistance Education, and kids will be less likely to use drugs when funding comes through to offer the sixth-grade program to more students, said DARE education coordinator Wayne Newbert. "We're very aware of the reality some kids are experimenting by Grade 6. (But) we never write them off as too late." Justice Minister Dave Hancock called on parents, teachers and students to take action in getting drugs out of schools. "Fix the broken windows. If we want to own the community we have to take responsibility for the community. You can't put a policeman on every corner." Hancock encouraged students to call confidential Crime Stoppers lines to inform police of ongoing drug activity. "Students should know that if people are doing things that are illegal, if they're doing drugs in schools it's detracting in their ability to be the best they can be. "It's not something somebody else has to take care of." - --- MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart