Pubdate: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 Source: Fort McMurray Today (CN AB) Address: 8550 Franklin Avenue, Fort McMurray, Alberta. T9H 3G1 Website: http://www.bowesnet.com/Today/default.html Contact: March 24, 2000 Author: Robert Ashcroft SCHOOLS TRY TO GET DRUG MESSAGE TO STUDENTS While educators in Edmonton deal with allegations of widespread crack use in high schools, Fort McMurray's education community isn't sounding the alarms yet. "I think we'd all be fools to say that these types of issues don't exist, but we haven't had a lot hit the board related to those sorts of things," public school superintendent John Waddell said. "From my discussions with the RCMP, drug use in Fort McMurray is high and that would also be true in the schools or related to school students." Waddell said when the public board was looking at its drug policy, trustees wanted to send a clear message that such things wouldn't be tolerated. "They made it clear that if the board came upon any of that sort of stuff, they were going to take pretty severe action." Phil Meagher, vice-principal at Westwood high school, said schools take a variety of approaches to combatting drug use. "What we've been doing is just awareness of what drug use can do to you," Meagher said. "Most students here have gone through the DARE program and they know the side effects. It can affect your mental output, it can affect you physically, it can affect you all around as a citizen." Meagher added that there are a variety of agencies all working eliminate drug use in schools. One of those agencies is the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) . George McBeth, AADAC's area supervisor, said trying to quantify drug use or categorize it by concentrating on particular drugs is a waste of time. "How much or what type is not the issue," McBeth said. "The issue is that it's there. Drugs is certainly an issue in high schools." McBeth said society needs a comprehensive plan to deal with the problem. "This is a community problem and the solution is going to be a community solution. We all have a part to play." He said the problem requires a three-pronged approach that begins with prevention. "AADAC is involved with a process called community curriculum which is a number of agencies that have gotten together to discuss a number of issues at different grades," he said. "We're all beginning to address the same types of issues whether it's alcohol and drugs, interpersonal relationships, or suicide prevention; all kinds of issues that are affecting children today." Following prevention, McBeth said intervention and treatment are equally important. "But once we've identified children who have specific needs, how do we provide the most effective treatment? We have to do all three. "We have to stop tolerating it and we have to stop pretending that it's not happening." One group with no illusions is the RCMP drug unit. "I've been in the drug section for the last four years and in the last two years, crack cocaine has been the drug of choice in Fort McMurray," Const. Irv Heide said. "It's definitely sought after more than powder cocaine or even marijuana in our experiences." Heide said the RCMP had undertaken an undercover operation some time ago which resulted in a couple of young offenders being arrested and charged. He also said warrants went out in the fall for some other young offenders that were dealing in crack cocaine. Nevertheless, Heide said the RCMP don't believe crack cocaine to be a substantial problem in McMurray's high schools. "That's not to say that it isn't being used," he cautioned. "We're not that naive to think that it isn't in the schools, but it isn't an epidemic in our eyes at this point." Heide based his statement on arrest rates for drug possession and other crimes like thefts which often indicate drug problems as addicts need to feed their habit. "In Edmonton you could pay as low a $5 for a hit; that's probably a puff or two. Regardless of how little you use, it is addictive almost immediately." One in 10 users of crack cocaine become addicted after their first use. The highly addictive nature of the drug forces people to return for more. "That's the objective of the dealer. Now it costs money and that money is not readily available to younger groups. That's when they resort to other crime such as robberies, break and enters, or thefts," Heide said. - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck