Pubdate: Tue, 16 May 2006
Source: Red Deer Advocate (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Red Deer Advocate
Contact:  http://www.reddeeradvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2492
Author: Daniel Macisaac
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

ANTI-DRUG MESSAGE SPREAD

Students, teachers and parents got a crash course in  drug awareness 
at Glendale Middle School on Monday.

Former Calgary police officer and undercover narcotics  agent Steve 
Walton gave a series of street-smart  presentations throughout the 
day, including a seminar  titled Street Drug Awareness: A Parental 
Approach to a  group of 60 parents in the evening.

"The school is doing it right, making sure we're  talking to the kids 
and the parents together," he said.

Typically, students receive lectures in drug awareness  but it's not 
so often their parents are involved, too,  according to both Walton 
and Glendale vice-principal  Ted Hutchings, who first saw Walton 
speak while working  at Eastview Middle School two years ago.

Bruce Buruma, director of community relations with Red  Deer Public 
Schools, explained the presentations were  part of an action plan for 
drug use among youth  launched last September.

He said the schools realized the plan needed to include  a number of 
different components, such as school  presentations, teacher 
training, curriculum  development, alternative approaches like the 
Wasted Angels theatre production, peer outreach programs 
like  Changes and parental involvement.

"We know we need to try a variety of approaches because  while the 
school jurisdiction has a responsibility, we  also realize this is a 
community issue," Buruma said.

Walton said it's never too early to begin educating  children about 
recreational drugs. He described the  12-to-17 age group as 
particularly vulnerable. He said  the biggest group of drug users is 
aged 18 to 24.

"Drugs have always been around, but their potency has  changed in 
recent times," Hutchings said. "There's no  doubt the economy is a 
factor and it plays into the  fact that kids have more money and access."

Buruma wouldn't say drug use is such a serious problem  in Red Deer 
schools but argued "anytime kids are using  alcohol or drugs, it's a concern."

And Walton said Red Deer is no different from Calgary  in the types 
of drugs available.

Hutchings said the success of the Red Deer plan would  be measured 
not only in statistics but in anecdotal  evidence aE" "when kids say 
they've heard the message  and made a choice."

Walton received a good reaction from Glendale's 370  students on 
Monday afternoon after delivering a  fact-laden presentation on the 
look, use and impact of  some of the more popular street drugs: 
marijuana,  ecstasy, crystal meth and crack cocaine among them.

The school's 40 staff members then attended a  question-and-answer 
session to bring their own  knowledge up to speed before parents 
arrived for the  seminar.

Walton, who runs a consultancy called Get the Dope on  Dope, covered 
topics ranging from how to recognize  addictive behaviour to drug 
slang to current trends.  Above all, he stressed the need for 
families to discuss  drugs.

"If the kids don't have the education, they will try  it," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman