Pubdate: Sun, 28 Jul 2002 Source: West Prince Graphic (CN PI) Copyright: 2002 Island Publishing Limited Contact: http://www.peicanada.com/pages/westprince/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2352 Author: Jean Kenny ELEMENTARY SCHOOL HOSTING RACE AGAINST DRUGS PROGRAM More that 600 school children are expected to take part in the RCMP Racing Against Drugs program when it visits West Prince later this month. West Prince RCMP Const Carlo Bernard said Tignish Elementary School will host the event this year, with students from Alberton, Bloomfield, O'Leary and St Louis Elementary schools bussed in to the event. Racing Against Drugs 'RAD,' is a drug and alcohol awareness program developed in partnership by the RCMP and various other organizations. Designed to provide police officers, education and addiction counsellors with an exciting alternative teaching aid, RAD has become a popular program across the country. The community-based drug and alcohol program that has been developed to help promote a healthy drug-free lifestyle explained Const Bernard. 'Kids need to learn how to say no to drug and alcohol use at an early age.' The program is part of the RCMP community based policing concept and was started in Ontario in 1993. Its objectives include promoting healthy, drug free lifestyles in communities and reminding parents and children that drug and alcohol abuse is a growing family concern. The RCMP drug awareness co-ordinator for the West Prince detachment, Const Bernard said the main focus of this program is children aged five to 13 years old. The primary objective, of this drug education is to utilize the sport of car racing to capture the attention of young people and expose them to an exciting and high profile sport - one with no tolerance for substance abuse. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth