Pubdate: Fri, 01 Sep 2000 Source: West Australian (Australia) Copyright: 2000 West Australian Newspapers Limited Contact: +61 8 94823830 Website: http://thewest.com.au/redirect.shtml Author: Melissa Stevens Ex-Addict Offers Clean Way Back JADE first took drugs at 16. It started with marijuana, but then she tried LSD, ecstasy and speed, which she began using intravenously. By Year 12, the private school house captain was taking speed some days before going to school. At 19 she had turned to heroin and an addiction which would last three years and cost her hundreds of dollars a day. Now 23, Jade has kicked her heroin habit and wants to let people know that drug addiction can happen to anyone. Jade was a keynote speaker at last night's WA Drug Summit 2000, held at the Riverview Auditorium in Burswood. The event was aimed at high school students and parents as well as the wider community in promoting awareness of drug issues and prevention. Jade said she was speaking out about her experiences in the hope it would help others. "The drug summit is to give the community hope that there are drug solutions," she said. "I just feel that by speaking out I can save a few lives and save a few families going through the devastation that my family went through. "It's not something people get stuck into because they are from bad homes and bad backgrounds. It's something anyone can get caught in." For Jade, the turning point came when she had a breakdown on her 22nd birthday. After that she went cold turkey. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake