Pubdate: Mon, 09 May 2016
Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald (CN SN)
Page: A1
Copyright: 2016 Prince Albert Daily Herald
Contact:  http://www.paherald.sk.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1918
Author: Tyler Clarke

A DIRECT DISCUSSION ABOUT DRUGS

Saskatoon Police Service Cst. Matt Ingrouille Headed A Blunt
Conversation About Drugs On Saturday

Last year saw then-Prime Minister Stephen Harper declare; "Marijuana
is infinitely worse" than tobacco.

At the time, he cited nonexistent "overwhelming and growing scientific
and medical evidence" that he said would support his claim.

Those educated on the subject toned him out, just as they've toned out
certain anti-drug messages whose purported "facts" don't align with
reality.

It's this kind of condescension that Saskatoon Police Service Cst.
Matt Ingrouille avoided during a direct conversation about drugs and
addiction with a Prince Albert audience on Saturday.

Teenagers are hard-wired to take risks and experiment, Ingrouille told
a crowd of about 100 people, about half of whom local youths who
learned of the event through social media.

Addressing parents in the audience, he said; "You shouldn't be asking
yourself, 'Why did my kid do this certain behaviour?' You should be
asking why they didn't stop, because it's the stopping that's the issue."

Pulling intravenous drug use aside, Ingrouille noted that people who
have been sexually abused as a youth are 4,800 per cent more likely to
become an intravenous drug user than someone who wasn't abused.

"That's crazy," he said. "That's so crazy that I say that IV drug use
is a symptom of childhood neglect."

While understanding of teens' need to experiment in using a
knowledge-based "Say Know" approach instead of taking a blanket "Say
No" direction, Ingrouille was comfortable sticking with the "Say No"
message in addressing Fentanyl -- a street version of Oxycontin that
is killing youth in Saskatchewan.

Joining Ingrouille in Saturday's "Say Know" presentation was drug
informant "Phil" -- a man Ingrouille bought cocaine from as an
undercover officer a few years ago.

"Phil" (not his real name) saw his life collapse under a haze of
marijuana smoke as everything he did began revolving around getting
stoned -- a downward spiral that saw him become a pawn to drug dealers.

His turning point came in prison, when he was taken out of the cycle
he'd found himself in and allotted time for self-reflection.

"Phil" said that the best thing that ever happened to him was being
sent to prison, and he clarified to Saturday's audience that he wasn't
joking.

"Once you figure out why you're using drugs, it makes it much easier
to stop because you realize what you need to change in order to
prevent that behaviour," he said.

Offering an even broader view of drugs' negative impact, George
Barreras shared the story of his family's dealings with drug criminals
in Colombia.

His wife's family owned land drug dealers wanted. They refused to
leave and were murdered, forcing Barreras, his wife and two kids
fleeing as refugees to Canada.

The blame comes down to individual drug users who fuel the trade, he
said, clarifying that drug lords don't matter, as there's always
another person willing to fill their place and take the risks required
to make big money.

The Say Know event came at the invitation of the Prince Albert Police
Association -- a group of local police officers who wanted a local
audience to experience it.

"From the police point of view, you can't arrest your way out of
everything, so this just gives another view on addictions, and if one
person takes one thing away from this speech to help them in their
homes or with their families, that's a win," executive member Adam
Dunn said after the event.

Pending public interest, Dunn said that he'd like to invite the Say
Know group to return to Prince Albert for another public presentation.
Say Know offers additional resources, including hands-on family
assistance in getting youth off of drugs, with more information
available at www.sayknow.org .  
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MAP posted-by: Jo-D