Pubdate: Mon, 13 Feb 2012
Source: Record, The (Kitchener, CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 The Record
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/942MrkRX
Website:  http://news.therecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/225
Author: Ashley Csanady
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

MAKING THE RIGHT CALL

WATERLOO - Five months ago a night of booze, drugs and partying 
changed Jesse Heubner's life forever.

School was about to start, and Heubner wanted to celebrate "the best 
summer of his life." He bought himself a gram of cocaine, snorted a 
couple rails and met up with a few friends. They'd brought along a 
few hits of ecstasy and Heubner downed those too.

Hours later, his friends crashed. But still high and wired, Heubner 
hopped on his longboard and started cruising. He was listening to 
music and enjoying the ride, the summer air.

"And that's when things went terribly wrong," the 17-year-old told a 
group of teens, parents, teachers and police gathered at Empire 
Theatres, in Waterloo for an awards ceremony honouring winners of the 
"It's Your Call" contest.

The contest, a youth drug awareness program, was sponsored by the 
Waterloo Regional Police.

Heubner said the drugs kicked in a bit harder as he longboarded and 
it was like he lost control of his own body while he was inside it. 
Later, after it was all over, he would learn the ecstasy he'd taken 
was also laced with a psychedelic drug that induces a reaction similar to LSD.

"For some reason, I thought it was a good idea to get on a roof and 
jump off," said Heubner. "That was it. Lights out."

When he woke up some time later, he couldn't feel or move his legs. 
He screamed for help. After someone finally called 911 he was 
airlifted to Hamilton General Hospital where doctors confirmed his 
worst fears: the skateboard-loving teen's back was broken.

"So that's the story behind my wheelchair," the Cameron Heights 
Collegiate Institute student said. "So take it from me - a guy who 
learned the hard way so you don't have to - find a natural high."

It was his first time speaking publicly about those fateful events 
last summer, and Heubner hopes his story will help other youth turn 
away from substance abuse.

"It makes it . . . all worth it, for me, if I change even one life," 
he said after his talk.

Heubner was the final speaker of the morning event which was attended 
by about 250 high school students ranging from at-risk youth to 
honour-roll pupils. The aim of the event and the contest was to 
encourage youth to make the right choice when it comes to drug use.

The "It's Your Choice" contest asked regional residents under the age 
of 19 to sing, draw, film, write, paint or design an anti-drug 
message for their peers. Police received about 100 submissions. On 
Monday, 12 entrants were honoured. The contest was a preventive 
effort launched by the police service after several local high school 
students were taken to hospital last year with cardiac issues 
resulting from marijuana use.

First, second and third place winners were named in four categories: 
video, song, art and words.

First place song went to Sarah Bernardo for Mary Jane (You've Gotta 
Go). ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8dyndYPZus )

First place film went to Richard Holmes for his piece It's Your Call. 
( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nyxM9Y4PYiQ )

First place word went to Kiera Anthony for her poem How Drugs Affect Me.

And first place art when to Gabriel Cortes for his painting that read 
"Love is the only drug you need."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom