It's back to school time and, for many parents, that means serious discussions with their children about the many challenges that can arise in the schoolyard and the classroom: bullying (both on and offline), peer pressure, test anxieties and other stress, budding sexuality, alcohol and drugs. In the case of the latter category - drinking and drugs - many of us might be tempted to tell our kids, "Just don't do it." But is that a realistic approach? Let's face it, our children, and older teens in particular, are prone to experimentation. Many of us did it and many of them will do it. It's a fact of life. [continues 383 words]
It was a night Vera Rice would rather forget. The cancer survivor, now in her 60s, was pulled over by police heading home to Seal Cove from treatment at the hospital in Baie Verte and brought to the RCMP detachment in Deer Lake for drug testing. Rice is now cancer-free. But the weak bones and treatment from years gone by have also left her with infections. A few years ago she underwent treatment for a serious infection that had gotten into her bones, and in recent weeks, the same type of infection has returned. [continues 871 words]
George Chuvalo Implores Kids To Stay Off Drugs And To Love Their Families George Chuvalo knows a thing or two about battles. The retired heavyweight Canadian boxer was never knocked down in 93 professional fights between 1956 and 1979. In that time he fought heavy hitters like George Foreman and Joe Frazier, and arguably the greatest boxer to ever grace the ring, Muhammad Ali. In fact, Mr. Chuvalo fought Ali twice, where the Canadian lost both bouts via decision. Now 71, Mr. Chuvalo continues to fight, but with words rather than fists. You'll be hard pressed to find a man who's lost so much because of drugs and the same man that collected a professional boxing record of 73-18-2 was in Conne River last Tuesday to continue to tell his story. [continues 551 words]
" You're not one that's on my radar: says RCMP Cpl. Noel While legal and illegal drugs are easily obtained by youth in today's society, it's important for parents to minimize the interest by educating their children of the dangers about drugs says RCMP Cpl. Ann Noel. Cpl. Ann Noel takes questions from the gathering of roughly 20 people about certain types of legal and illegal drugs during a public awareness session, held at Manuel Hall. "Many parents do worry about their children, but worrying doesn't do anything," said Cpl. Noel of the Drug and Organized Crime Awareness Services, during a public awareness session last Monday night at Manuel Hall. "We have to take action," she said. [continues 708 words]
It just never fails. Whenever nor'wester runs a story involving police and the illegal drug trade, people in other parts of the country come crawling through cyberspace to say the information provided by police is all wrong. Having been a former "cabbagehead" (yes, President Clinton, I inhaled) it didn't much matter if marijuana really contained carcinogenic substances or even that it was illegal. Having said all of that, as an urban teenager, drugs were easier to obtain than liquor. All it took was simply asking around. Whatever mood struck, there was somebody ready to provide a hit - uppers, downers, LSD, weed... and it was not difficult to get. [continues 493 words]
Students and parents received a wake-up call and an education on the drugs that are floating around on the streets. RCMP Cpl. Ann Noel attended Valmont Academy and Indian River High School on Nov. 17 as part of an Addictions Awareness Week campaign. "They know everything that you're talking about," said Cpl. Noel about her student audience. "They've been there. They know about choices and what you mean by, 'things you're not going to be proud of in the morning.'" [continues 359 words]
RCMP Seize Drugs A Sept. 30 Springdale drug bust might have led to charges, but it points to larger societal issues. Acceptance of marijuana use needs to change, or the problem could get worse, according to RCMP. The day had just passed dusk when Springdale RCMP conducted a vehicle stop on Fir Street. Inside they found a small quantity of marijuana. Police arrested a 19-year-old Springdale man for possession and for breaching a probation order. The 20-year-old driver was charged with impaired operation by a drug. [continues 427 words]
Program Offers Parent Plan To Drugproof kids If you met Glen Newman two years ago, he wouldn't have been able to tell you much about the drug culture. These days his level of information is pretty scary, especially in rural Newfoundland. "I asked yesterday, what's available?" he said in an April 25 interview. "According to what was said around the table, there are drugs readily available, here, everything from cocaine and ecstacy to marijuana." Mr. Newman is a master trainer from Focus on the Family Canada. He was in Springdale to teach a group of community leaders to present a program called How to Drugproof Your Kids. The program began in Australia and has been in Canada since 2002. [continues 603 words]
Feds Introduce Legislation to Combat Drug Impaired Driving Impaired driving claims the lives of hundreds of people across the country every year. According to the Department of Justice, in 2003, alcohol and/or drugs were involved in 1,257 fatalities, 47,181 injuries and 161,299 property-damage crashes involving 245,174 vehicles across Canada. Incidents of drug impaired driving have also been on the rise. A survey of Ontario high school drivers in 2003 found close to 20 per cent had driven within one hour of using cannabis (marijuana) at least once in the previous year. [continues 475 words]
If you drive a car, and you are on medication, or if you take prescription drugs or illegal drugs, you may get time in a bottle. The amount of time you get - jail time that is - will depend upon what you put in the bottle. With great fanfare Prime Minister Harper announced last week a new law aimed at stopping drug-impaired drivers. The last Liberal government almost got one passed before the last election, but this Prime Minister says he is going to get this one passed. This new bill however is not like the last one - when this passes you will be on camera with mandatory fines and jail. Just like in the U.S. [continues 637 words]
