Pubdate: Mon, 05 Mar 2001
Source: The North Thompson Star/Journal (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001 The North Thompson Star/Journal
Contact:  http://www.starjournal.net/
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?135 (Drug Education)

FORUM SPEAKERS GIVE OVERVIEW OF ISSUES

Twenty-five audience members - parents and youngsters - first listened to a 
series of speakers talk about different areas of concern around the issue 
of drug and alcohol use among teenagers, then participated in a 
question-and-answer period in the Barriere Secondary Library, Feb. 27.

Speakers included Child and Family Therapist Bev MacDonald, Cpl. Bernie 
Parent of Barriere RCMP Detachment, Phoenix Centre outreach counselor Donna 
Bishop, Dr. Paul Bishop, a Barriere parent to talked about family 
experiences, and BSS Principal Gord Davis.

The forum is the result of shared concerns by a number of BSS parents and 
was organized through the BSS Parent Advisory Council.

Therapist MacDonald began the evening's presentations by discussing basic 
human needs and the particular stresses and challenges of adolescent society.

Teens, she said, are often quite vulnerable and must achieve "a huge pace 
of learning in six years or so."

Dr. Bishop, a Kamloops general practitioner whose specialty is addictions, 
said 15 per cent of the total population carries a genetic or biological 
predisposition toward addiction. He said 90 per cent of the population will 
try drugs or alcohol, without long term adverse effect. Dr. Bishop defined 
addiction as a disease for which treatment exists.

Cpl. Parent said while Barriere is not a hotbed of drug and alcohol abuse, 
it is like many other communities. There is a problem, he said.

Parent praised the program establishing a Drug Free Zone around Barriere 
Secondary, and said he and the detachment have high hopes the DARE (Drug 
Abuse Resistance Education) program, now in its second year targeting Grade 
5s at Barriere Elementary, will better arm Barriere youth to resist 
drug-related behaviours.

"Alcohol ends up being a big part of our job here, especially in the 
summertime," he said, adding that teen bush parties are a continuing 
concern because of the incidence of risk-taking behaviour accompanying 
those events.

Phoenix Centre out-reach drug and alcohol counselor Donna Bishop said the 
single biggest complaint she hears from the Barriere adolescents who pass 
through her office is "boredom." Bishop said more facilities would provide 
more options for young people, but she also said youngsters' alcohol and 
drug-related behaviour (or avoidance thereof) will reflect the behaviour of 
their role models.

"You can't ask your kids not to do something if you yourself are doing it," 
she said.

Barriere Secondary Principal Gord Davis told the group the school's policy 
is "zero tolerance" of drug or alcohol related behaviours on the school 
grounds.

That means sending home kids who appear (or smell) as though they have been 
indulging in marijuana.

He and others encouraged parents to check on their children's whereabouts 
and activities, even though adolescents may discourage parents calling to 
check or appearing at school dances.

"No child has yet died of embarrassment," he added.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager