Pubdate: Wed, 22 Nov 2006
Source: Valley Echo, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 The Valley Echo
Contact:  http://www.invermerevalleyecho.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2140

THE UNDERBELLY OF THE VALLEY

It Takes Great Courage to Look a Demon in the Eye.

Starting on our front page this week is a story about a local man who 
overcame crack cocaine addiction.

 From our observation, he is an "ordinary average guy," as Joe Walsh would say.

He's a fully functional and contributing member of our community.

We have not named him - calling him John Doe instead - because of the 
impact that would have on his life in this community. People's 
perceptions would be skewed and warped and he'd forever wear a tag 
and that wouldn't be fair because it was his naive teenaged curiosity 
and freedom to roam in our valley community that led him to the 
demon's lair. Time in a big city with the demon turned him into a wraith.

He became a loner obsessed with only getting high again - with 
feeding the beast. He began to spiral downward, flirting with crime 
and with bad people. One of his big city dealers is now serving a 
double life sentence for murder.

John Doe's anonymity will no doubt inspire much guessing as to who he 
might be. He could be that guy, or that guy over there or the guy 
sitting in the corner of the coffee shop.

And that is the point we are trying to make.

He could be any number of valley residents - because cocaine and 
crack addiction is a demon many of our neighbours, friends, 
co-workers and acquaintances are enslaved to. They feed the beast on 
a regular basis and some even have it somewhat tamed, or so they 
believe. They 'dabble' here and there and think they have it in 
control. But the beast - the demon - always gets you in the end 
unless you kill it first.

John Doe confirmed a great many perceptions this writer has compiled 
over the past 15 years, observing life pass along in our holiday 
heaven community.

When I arrived in the valley in 1991, the first community nickname I 
heard was 'snow valley,' followed closely by 'manana valley.'

Having spent a fair amount of time walking up the centre of Yeehaw 
Road, I generally found myself quickly on the doorstep of the man, 
wherever I roamed.

But not here. There was a disconnect on the doorbell and if I knocked 
no one would answer. It was a good thing.

Pot and alcohol, both demons with considerable powers, tend to be 
sociable drugs. Cocaine begins as a social drug because the demon 
likes to prowl among those seeking a thrill but once that demon has 
control of you, you lose yourself.

Importantly, John Doe pointed out that pot was a gateway drug to 
cocaine and crack. Many pot smokers would vehemently argue that it is 
not true because they've never opened the cage to more horrible 
demons. All they should know is that they are lucky.

John Doe opened it and he was extremely lucky that he had a loving 
and caring family. They were the guides who led him away from the 
demon and enough space and time and suffering later, he was free and 
clean. And there he remains.

John Doe is not just a lucky man. He's also a courageous one - for 
having enough jam to look the demon in the eye and to let his loved 
ones help him. He's also courageous for being willing to tell his 
story to a relative stranger and have it presented in print.

In the past four weeks The Echo has been providing information about 
crystal meth and we ended our series with a tale about cocaine and 
crack addiction.

We see a definite connection to the two drugs. Cocaine and crack use 
is rife in this community. The naive or those in denial would be 
shocked to learn just how many people are using the drug, either as 
full-blown addicts or as weekend dabblers.

Meth use can begin when one cannot get their hands on some coke or 
crack. The high is supposed to be similar, though meth provides a 
longer and more intense buzz - hence the severe addictions that occur.

Luckily, local experts believe meth remains on the outside looking in 
in the valley.

That's a good thing. But considering this community's reputation for 
being a party spot, we must remain vigilant.

Sadly, it is likely that the availability of cocaine in this 
community is keeping the meth to a minimum. And the current crop of 
youth flirting with the gateway drugs have not yet 'progressed' to 
that slippery slope.

What a terrible trade-off. But from everything we have learned while 
writing about meth, it's a demon that would tear the cocaine/crack 
demon to shreds.

To all the dabblers out there, please keep that in mind.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Elaine