Pubdate: Mon, 19 Nov 2001 Source: Daily Herald Tribune, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2001 The Daily Herald Tribune Contact: http://www.bowesnet.com/dht/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/804 Author: Bill Laye Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?158 (Club Drugs) DRUGS OF CHOICE AADAC Aims To Raise Awareness Of The Drug Scene in GP Its street name is ice. But with crystal meth's promised high can quickly come a barren winter of addiction, warns a Grande Prairie drug abuse counsellor. "When you smoke it or when you inject it, that 15-20-minute rush is so pleasurable and the high is so intense it can hook you the first time," said John Dunn of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission's Northern Addictions Centre. Ice is just one of the next generation of drugs to recently hit Grande Prairie that Dunn is going to talk about at a seminar today at the Grande Prairie Composite high school from 7 to 9 p.m. The session is part of National Addictions Week, which starts today and wraps up Saturday. In many ways last year's drug-of-choice, ecstasy, is now passe, says Dunn. "Ecstasy has sort of panned out. It's still out there and it's still being used, but because crystal meth provides a high that's equal to or better than it, people want into that," he said. Once it's got you, ice, a high-potency variant of methamphetamine, starts to make short work of your brain, heart, lungs, and your personality. And, unlike some of the more natural source narcotics, a synthetic drug is with you for the long haul, says Dunn. "(Cocaine) can clear the system in 24 hours. A synthetic drug doesn't do the same thing - the body can't clear it as quickly." The high one gets on ice causes some people to binge, or take subsequent hits of the drug as the initial 15-minute rush subsides into a more mellow euphoria, further stockpiling the drug in your body, he said, adding recent local headlines prove there is a problem with ice in Grande Prairie. Dunn said he's hoping by raising awareness of these and other new drugs, such as Special K - the horse tranquilizer ketamine, and GHB - a small capful of which equals six drinks of hard liquor, will help parents steer their kids clear of them. "A lot of times it's not about being rebellious towards their parents or towards society, it's just about having a good time," he said. "They take (these drugs) thinking it's going to enhance their good time and the time they have with their friends, but they end up getting getting caught up and swallowed by these drugs." Other additions week activities include a pancake breakfast at the Northern Addictions Centre, 11333-106 St., from 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, non-alcoholic mocktail hours Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Grande Prairie Regional College and Saturday at the Prairie Mall from 1 to 4 p.m., and national addictions awareness checkstops on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. It wraps up Friday with a family dance at the NAC gym from 8 p.m. to midnight. Dunn will also be speaking on the new generation of drugs from 7 to 9 p.m. next week at St. Joseph Catholic high school Tuesday and Peace Wapiti Academy the following night. For more information, call 538-6330. - --- MAP posted-by: Jackl