Pubdate: Wed, 15 Dec 2004
Source: Barry's Bay This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: 2004 OSPREY Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.mapinc.org/media/3614
Website: http://www.barrysbaythisweek.com
Author: Kristina Chryssanthis
Cited: Addiction Help - Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation 
http://www.drug-rehab-addiction-treatment.com/
Cited: Media Awareness Project Organization http://www.mapinc.org
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?232 (Chronic Pain)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?136 (Methadone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/oxycontin.htm (Oxycontin/Oxycodone)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

COMMUNITY WILL WAGE WAR ON DRUG PROBLEM

Parents, students and medical staff in the community gathered to combat the 
developing drug problem in the area head on.

This past Wednesday evening, a Madawaska Valley District High School 
(MVDHS) parent council meeting was the staging ground for the first battle 
against drug abuse in the area. A larger than usual crowd came out to 
discuss their concerns about the local increase in drug use, especially at 
the high school.

"In the last month or so, I won't say there has been an increase use of 
drugs, but many suspensions have been drug related," Mike Shulist, MVDHS 
principal, said to open the discussion.

He is concerned about the number of suspensions for drug possession and a 
more open attitude toward marijuana use.

There are various drugs that are suspected being abused by some students 
and adult members of the community.

"A number of youth in the community are using the drug Percocet,"

Shulist said. "There's Ritalin, Tylenol, Gravol - it turns out that 15 
(pills) makes them high. And we can't do a thing about it."

He said that students are not breaking the law if they carry Tylenol or Gravol.

According to Health Canada, the three most commonly abused prescription 
drugs are CNS depressants (benzodiazepines such as valium) that decrease 
brain activity, opioids including morphine, codeine, oxycodone and Demerol, 
and stimulants such as Ritalin.

According to Health Canada, Oxycodone has been available for many years in 
combination with other narcotics, including Percocet. Oxycodone is a 
narcotic frequently used as a pain reliever that produces an opiate-like 
effect similar to morphine. However, it has led to increased abuse and 
addiction.

"When crushed or chewed and either inhaled by the nose, injected (crushed 
and dissolved in water) or swallowed, the Oxycodone will be released and 
absorbed rapidly producing a heroin-like effect euphoria," according to 
Health Canada.

Some local medical staff also attended the meeting to discuss their 
concerns about drug use in the community.

Darlene Sernoskie, director of operations at St. Francis Memorial Hospital, 
said she is concerned with the drug problem in the area.

"The emergency department has more people coming in overdosed, some adults 
too, asking for help to get off it," she said.

Sernoskie said Percocets are a highly-addictive pain medication that can 
only be dispersed through a prescription.

"This is a serious issue. They come through prescriptions and then sold on 
the street," she said.

Shulist said abuse of prescription medication is a serious problem.

"Its primary purpose is to relieve chronic pain," he said. "The abuse comes 
when it's crushed and snorted to give a quick rush."

Local business owners have witnessed the increase of drug abuse in the area.

"Friday and Saturday night I see - and some of the parents are here - where 
their kids are on drugs," Marty Recoskie, owner of Generations Family 
Restaurant, said.

Speculation at the meeting suggested the drug problem in the area has been 
going on for several years now.

"For eight years businesses in town have been selling drugs," one parent 
accused.

Reeve John Hildebrandt was unaware of the drug problem in the Madawaska Valley.

"I was surprised to hear this was happening," he said. "This sort of thing 
is usually centred at schools and surrounding areas."

Shulist attributed the problem to several sources. He said the Internet is 
one source where all sorts of information can be accessed, including 
prescription purchases. He also suggested that youth boredom and 
experimentation might also play a role in the problem.

The Health Canada website has links to information about drug abuse, the 
Addiction Help - Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation website. According to 
the addiction help site, OxyContin (oxycodone) is an opium derivative, the 
same active ingredient as in Percodan and Percocet. Although OxyContin is 
intended for use by terminal cancer patients and chronic pain sufferers, it 
has led to ever-increasing abuse and addiction.

According to the Media Awareness Project Organization, Canada's chief 
coroners and medical examiners are preparing a national alert on the abuse 
of OxyContin, a drug they say has caused 250 overdose deaths in Ontario 
since 1998.

"OxyContin abuse is spreading for a variety of reasons. First, the elevated 
opiate dosage makes it highly addictive. Second, in contrast to drugs such 
as cocaine or heroin that can be laced with other substances, with 
OxyContin you know how much of the drug you are getting; the dosage is 
consistent and it is a dependable high," the addiction help site stated.

It also pointed out that it is easier and less expensive to get 
prescription drugs than street drugs.

"OxyContin is covered by most health insurance plans, so it is 
significantly cheaper than street drugs. OxyContin has been referred
to as "hillbilly heroin" or "the poor (person's) heroin."

Overdose symptoms can include slowness in breathing, seizures, dizziness, 
weakness, loss of consciousness, coma, confusion,
tiredness, cold and clammy skin and small pupils. The site reported that 
OxyContin abuse is becoming an epidemic in several rural areas.

Shulist is struggling with the question of why this is happening and he's 
not certain how to deal with the ongoing problem. However, there are a few 
ideas in the works.

"I don't know why, or how to stem the problem," he said. "There are 
teenagers who smoke marijuana every day."

He mentioned a young person's drug related death in Whitney had prompted 
students and teachers to become actively involved in battling the drug problem.

School staff will take a serious approach to education and preventing drug 
abuse and trafficking on school property.

"Our role is education and we will do whatever we can," Shulist said.

The school has a few ideas that it's exploring to try and curb drugs at 
MVDHS, although they have no jurisdiction over the rest of the community.

Hildebrandt said that the community and the high school need to combat the 
problem as a team.

"I would like to offer the township office as a facility for concerned 
people to get together. (Councillor) Sylvie (Yantha) can put some plans 
together," he said. "It's not just the high school it's the community."

Shulist said the school has a relationship with the OPP and officers visit 
the school periodically.

"There is an increased presence of OPP in the school."

He said the officers visit the students in the cafeteria and even venture 
out to the smoking area, off school property, to talk with students.

The school is contemplating bringing in the Canine Unit of the OPP to 
search for drugs in the school.

"Last year and this September, I informed students that might happen. We're 
actively looking at it this year," Shulist said.

Cst. Hans Schirmer, of the Killaloe OPP detachment, was at the meeting to 
provide input about the drug problem in the area.

He said that police dogs can detect marijuana and cocaine but often times 
drug dealers conceal the smell with strong scents like coffee.

Schirmer would like to see the community and the police work together in 
combating the drug problem in the area, but to date he said they are 
dealing with a lack of tangible information.

"We are the last to know and that's unfortunate," he said. "There is no 
co-operation from the community and very few calls to CrimeStoppers."

He reminded people that all calls to CrimeStoppers are completely 
anonymous. He has personally experienced help from the community and the 
caller likely saved a life, he said.

Schirmer also said parents should keep up-to-date on their children's 
activities. He said that parents should be careful not to give young people 
too much freedom while living in their home.

He said it is not a good idea for a child to have a lock on their bedroom 
door. He also said it is not the best idea for a parent to charge rent. 
Schirmer said those freedoms automatically give youth more privacy they 
should otherwise not have.

David Kaiser, board representative for Bonnechere Valley, Killaloe-Hagarty 
& Richards, Madawaska Valley, Brudenell, Lyndoch & Raglan, took in people's 
concerns and concluded that the majority of the group wanted to see the 
canine unit in the school, at least as a deterrent.

Kaiser said that it is ultimately Shulist's decision but he would have to 
run it by the board and follow procedure.

Hildebrandt wants to get started on fighting the problem, whatever it 
takes. For starters, he wants to see the canine unit at the high school.

"Let's not think about it, let's do it," he said.

Another parent said there is a history of non-interference in the community 
and that could be the reason the drug problem has not been addressed.

"This is an area where people don't like to say much and at the other 
spectrum there are parents with joints," one concerned parent said.

Sernoskie said that local people with a drug problem don't have access to 
information or resources in the area.

"If these people want help they have to go to Ottawa," she said.

Concerned hospital staff, groups and individuals will be holding a meeting 
in late January to discuss ways to confront the drug problem. A date and 
location have yet to be determined.

"Health Canada is aware of increasing concerns about the possible misuse 
and abuse of oxycodone-based products in Canada."

It has established a federal, provincial and territorial committee to 
discuss issues including the abuse of narcotics, controlled substances, 
alcohol and prescription drugs.

Similar to heroin, it is almost impossible to stop taking OxyContin cold 
turkey because the withdrawal symptoms are worse than heroin and last 
longer. It is essential for an abuser of OxyContin to get professional 
addiction treatment as soon as possible, the site confirmed. Treating 
opioid drug addiction is much like treating heroin addiction with methadone 
and behavioural counselling.

For more information visit www.drug-rehab-addiction-treatment.com/ or call 
1-877-465-8080.