Pubdate: Wed, 31 Dec 2014
Source: Petrolia Topic (CN ON)
Copyright: 2014 The Petrolia Topic
Contact: http://www.petroliatopic.com/letters
Website: http://www.petroliatopic.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5058
Author: Barbara Simpson
Page: 3

NEW DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM GEARED FOR 8 TO 11-YEAR-OLDS IN SARNIA-LAMBTON

For Max*, the downward spiral of addiction started off slowly and at 
supposedly the most innocent of times, when he was in elementary school.

He started off experimenting with tobacco and marijuana around the 
tender age of 12.

"By the time he was involved in high school, he was in full gear," 
recalled his father, Sean, who asked that his last name not be used 
to protect the identity of his son.

Max - an intelligent kid who grew up on the north side of Sarnia - 
then progressed to abusing prescription drugs with his friends.

His family tried their best to help him, but addiction had already 
taken a hold of him.

Two years ago, he died from a drug overdose. Max was only 18. "He 
lacked the ability to say no," Sean said. "It's pretty hard when 
you're nine, 10, 11 years old to walk away from your peer group. It 
would have been hard for me."

But family and friends of the late Max are hoping to help equip other 
Sarnia-Lambton young people with the tools to face peer pressure.

Donations from Max's funeral have gone to Sarnia-Lambton Rebound, 
which is launching a Choices Jr. program in the new year.

The 10- week program geared for eight-to-11-year-olds will be offered 
up at schools across Sarnia-Lambton. Rebound will also be offering 
the program in-house - as well as one-on-one support with their new 
addictions counsellor Brooke Gerber - for children in need of support.

Youth will learn at the Choices Jr. program about the dangers of 
drugs and refusal skills all done at an age- appropriate level, said 
Cheri Poirier, county program coordinator with Sarnia-Lambton Rebound.

While elementary school may seem early to start discussing the 
subject, Poirier said it is "surprising" to hear the language 
children often already know about drugs.

"It's uncomfortable for people, but it's really facing reality," 
added Teri Thomas Vanos, executive director of Sarnia-Lambton Rebound.

For Sean, he calls it the subject "nobody wants to bring up."

Through his son's experience, he has learned in great detail how 
"younger and younger" children are starting to experiment with drugs.

And often times, he said, those children are from 
middle-to-upper-class families with access to money to purchase 
prescription drugs.

"The drugs we're talking about are fully accessible, they come off 
the shelf, they're fully available," he said.

Officials with United Way of Sarnia-Lambton are seeing first-hand the 
need for prevention work at a younger age.

Several years ago, the community funding agency studied drug 
education and awareness efforts, surveying the need for such supports locally.

"Unfortunately kids are getting involved or being exposed to some of 
these social ills at a younger age," said Pamela Bodkin, United Way's 
community investment and finance director.

A one-year $30,000 grant has been given by United Way of 
Sarnia-Lambton to help start up the Choices Jr. program.

The agency also already funds a senior-level drug awareness program 
geared for youth aged 12 to 18. That program is receiving $ 26,000 
annually for three years.

For Sean, he can't say for certain that early prevention efforts 
would have helped in his son's case.

But he believes anything that could possibly prevent a similar 
tragedy is worthwhile.

"The simple answer is it's a lot easier to prevent something than it 
is to treat it," he said.

* Pseudonym has been used to protect the identity of the youth.
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