Pubdate: Wed, 16 Jan 2008
Source: Vulcan Advocate (CN AB)
Copyright: 2008 Vulcan Advocate
Contact:  http://www.vulcanadvocate.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3258
Author: Stephen Tipper

CHURCHES CALL FOR ACTION ON DRUG PROBLEM

Vulcan County churches are speaking out about a problem that they say 
has gotten out of hand.

The churches have written a letter to the councils of Vulcan, Vulcan 
County, Arrowwood, Milo, Lomond, Champion and Carmangay asking them 
to help solve the drug problem within the county.

"We look to you, as our elected officials, to champion this fight 
against drugs and to provide the leadership to effectively deal with 
drug suppliers with all the force of law at your disposal," say the 
church groups in the letter, dated Dec. 28.

Rev. Gordon Cranch of St. Aldheim's Anglican Church said drugs are 
causing a good deal of harm to residents of Vulcan County.

"I have one of the smallest churches in Vulcan, and yet I can think 
of easily three families that have been hurt by drugs," he said last week.

Social worker Dennis Nowoselsky treats people who have drug problems, 
but that's the tip of the iceberg, Cranch added.

People might hear about drugs in media, "but that's somewhere else," 
he said. In reality, however, drugs are here in Vulcan County.

"Anyone who is foolish enough to believe that we don't have a drug 
problem in Vulcan has got their head in the sand," he said.

And drugs are causing a good deal of harm to families, said Cranch.

Other pastors probably see more of this, he said, adding "it's just 
that I'm the most annoyed."

The clergy say that, as representatives of Christ in Vulan County, 
they are supposed to speak out about issues affecting the wellbeing 
of parishioners, residents and communities.

"In today's society, one of the greatest problems facing us is the 
use of, sale of, and proliferation of drugs in our cities, towns, 
villages and farm communities," the churches say. "This affliction 
does not respect age, sex, class, or any other criterion we can 
raise. It is a worldwide problem and one from which we, in Vulcan 
County, are not exempt.

"The ripple effect of drug use tears families apart, bankrupts 
businesses, (and) results in vandalism, property damage, theft, abuse 
and so many more crimes."

The Vulcan County Ministerial Association plans to meet today 
(Wednesday) to discuss what can be done to help fight the drug problem.

Nowoselsky said he sees plenty of drug abuse. He has 35 drug-related 
cases , and most involve alcohol. But he also sees people addicted to 
cocaine, marijuana and prescription drugs. He sees plenty of cocaine 
addictions in adults in the 20-40 year-old age, he added.

"For the size of our county . (the drug problem is) pretty 
significant," said Nowoselsky, who has 35 years of social work experience.

Many people with an addiction are not actually from Vulcan County but 
from an urban centre, said Nowoselsky. They come to Vulcan for help 
and family support, he said.

Vulcan has good self-help groups -- Alcoholics Anonymous and Al-Anon 
- -- but they're not being used enough, he said. AA meets twice a week, 
on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 8 p.m., at the Lutheran Church in 
Vulcan. Al-Anon meets once a week, on Tuesdays at 8 p.m, at the 
Lutheran Church.

There's a stigma attached to drug addiction, he said.

"It's an illness," Nowoselsky said.

Cpl. Larry Wiltshire of the Vulcan RCMP said the drug problem in 
Vulcan is no worse than anywhere else he's policed.

"But it's still an issue with us," he said.

Vulcan RCMP know they have marijuana users, and some people are using 
crack cocaine and crystal meth.

He welcomed the local churches taking the initiative to help reduce 
drug use within the county.

"By them wanting to step up and help, we've suddenly got a big group 
behind us with which we can do some things," he said.

Wiltshire hopes to have an officer from a drug awareness unit come to 
Vulcan County in February and talk to local residents from 
communities within the detachment's coverage area.

"We're trying to bring up (the drug problem) by doing these community 
talks, so that everybody understands it's a problem," said Wiltshire, 
adding drug addiction is a community concern.

"We need people working with us," he said.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom