Pubdate: Sat, 01 Apr 2000
Source: Eastern Door, The (CN QU)
Copyright: 2000 The Eastern Door
Contact:  http://www.easterndoor.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2464
Author: Greg Horn

DRUG BATTLE ESCALATES

The battle to rid Kahnawake of drugs has just heated up. Picking up where 
it left off last year, a group of community members has been setting up 
shop on the Old Malone Highway to bring awareness to the drug problem in 
Kahnawake.

They have also posted a sign on a tree in the Knights of Columbus parking 
lot which reads, 'Up with hope, down with dope.' In response to this sign, 
a residence near Kane's Corner posted a sign of its own which says, 'Down 
with hope, Up with smoke.' There is also what appears to be a marijuana 
plant pictured on the sign.

This year, the group of community members has been setting up in the area 
between Lafleur's and Hot Spots Restaurant. This area is a popular hangout 
spot for the community's teenagers. Last year the group was situated in 
front of Doda's Tickle Trunk.

The group began its Saturday night fireside vigils last spring following an 
incident where two youths were found unconscious in front of Lafleur's 
Market in March 1999.

At the time, that incident seemed like the straw that broke the camel's 
back, as a series of anti-drug meetings and marches began afterwards. 
Peacekeepers also began stepping up patrols and made a number of 
drug-related arrests, all of which were highly publicized.

After this, the drug trade went further underground, say Peacekeepers, 
because they found drugs more difficult to find. They believe the dynamic 
of the drug trade in Kahnawake has changed. No longer can someone walk to 
someone's door and buy the drugs they want. Now, say Peacekeepers, it has 
become more difficult, with dealers only selling to people they know.

As the attention began to wane and because the drug problem wasn't so 
prominent, it was no longer front page news. People seemed to forget that 
there remained a drug problem in Kahnawake over the winter months. That is 
until something else happened.

That something else happened a couple of weeks ago when a teenager was seen 
leaving a residence and was 'freaking out.' The teen had to be transported 
by ambulance and hospitalized for an apparent overdose. Other teens said he 
had taken both acid and mescaline.

This resulted in the nighttime vigils restarting, this time in closer 
proximity to the youth, to whom they want to get the message across. Some 
people have expressed the sentiment that more needs to be done by the 
Peacekeepers, community services and the community as a whole, to deal with 
the issues of drugs in the community, especially among our youth.