Pubdate: Sat, 15 Jan 2005
Source: Journal News, The (NY)
Copyright: 2005 The Gannett Company, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.nyjournalnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1205
Author: Cathy Xiaowei Tang
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

NOT AS SIMPLE AS 'JUST SAY NO'

RAMAPO - Grumpy is hyper-vigilant and mildly paranoid. Bashful, with
his bloodshot eyes, red nose and unsteady gait, has a clear case of
alcoholism. Sneezy snorts cocaine; Sleepy shoots up heroin. And Happy?
Pot, of course.

"Snow White and the Seven Drugged Dwarfs" was just one of 17 workshops
on substance abuse, health and sexuality offered yesterday at Rockland
Community College as part of the annual Drug Awareness Day. The
eight-hour event, which included a multimedia presentation and an
afternoon reception, drew students from public high schools across the
county, from the Rockland Board of Cooperative Educational Services
and from Daytop Rockland.

"In a lot of ways, this is the first step," event co-chairman John
Dunn said about the program's purpose. "An adolescent is probably not
going to stop using substances solely because of this program, but it
tips the scale a little bit.

"Students will come away with a heightened awareness of the risk and
come away with skills to help them address that risk."

In one of the workshop rooms in Academic II, peer educators from
Planned Parenthood passed out cups of water representing body fluids.
Except for one cup injected with a faint dye, all the cups were clear.
As students, simulating the exchange of body fluids, transferred the
contents of their cups to other cups, all of the water gradually
became contaminated. The infection, originally carried by one person,
had transmitted to all the people.

"They all reacted, 'Who gave me this?' " said peer educator
coordinator Mara Yacobi.

A few doors down, more than three-quarters of the workshop members
raised their hands when presenter Judy Ebeling asked if they knew
someone with a drinking problem.

Ebeling, a student assistance counselor at Nanuet High School, cited
family history as a risk factor for alcoholism.

"I've worked with people who think a 12-pack of beer is social
drinking," she said.

The workshops influenced the actions of Casey Georgi, a junior from
Nyack High School who also attended last year's event. "From last year
to now, I've made lots of choices based on what I learned," she said.

Classmate Mary Cracolice praised the presenters' attitudes.

"I really appreciated the way they spoke," she said. "It wasn't like
they were trying to lecture or judge us. They just seemed interested
in making sure we had information."

Yet the students agreed these types of programs went only so far,
especially for people who were already substance abusers.

"They'll make it into a joke," said Matt Jirgal. The Nyack High School
senior, who said personal experiences have prompted the biggest
turnarounds, described a student whose view toward drinking completely
changed when he killed three of his best friends in an alcohol-related
accident.

Part of the substance-abuse problem arises from a misplaced emphasis
on immediate rather than long-term health. Dunn explained that instead
of confronting the source of their problems, people used drugs or
alcohol to palliate negative feelings temporarily.

"We're living in a quick-fix society," he said. "Substances fall right
into that pattern."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Derek