Pubdate: Wed, 18 Oct 2006
Source: Midland Mirror (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Midland Mirror
Contact:  http://www.simcoe.com/sc/midland/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2211
Author: Kim Goggins

PROGRAM HELPS KIDS STAY AWAY FROM DRUGS

About 500 Grade 5 students from across North Simcoe participated in 
the race of their lives, last week, as the Racing Against Drugs event 
drove into Midland.

Eleven pit stops set up around a gymnasium at the North Simcoe Sports 
and Recreation Centre focused on different messages that offered 
straight talk about drugs and alcohol to the youth.

Some of the stations included a pharmacist who explained to the 
students the importance of not taking medicine that isn't prescribed 
to them; an illegal drug presentation by the RCMP; a skit about drug 
use by Midland Secondary School drama students; a Simcoe Muskoka 
District Health Unit presentation on tobacco use; and a Native 
storyteller who ties in all of the messages that were presented 
throughout the day in a story.

"The focus of Racing Against Drugs is to equip the kids with enough 
information that they understand that it's okay to say 'no'," said 
OPP Const. Peter Leon. "Most importantly, that they understand that 
drugs can set them out of control ... I think with all the different 
pit stops, the way they're set up, each pit stop contains its own 
message, that kids will be able to relate to at one point in their 
life. Whether they use it today, tomorrow, six months, six years or 
even 16 years from now. It's time well spent."

Students were actually able to experience this feeling of being out 
of control with the help of special vision goggles that simulate 
various levels of impairment that comes with alcohol and drug use.

Ten-year-old Lydia Robitaille said she didn't like the way the 
goggles made her feel. "It made me feel like I had been drinking. 
It's not something I'd want to get used to."

Students were also able to race remote control cars around a huge 
racetrack, which showed them that the faster they went, the more out 
of control they were.

The annual event targets Grade 5 students because it's at this age 
that children start being exposed to different peer pressures. In 
Grade 6, students receive the Drug Abuse Reduction Education program, 
which builds on what the Racing Against Drugs event teaches them.

"We know that there are drugs and alcohol out there and we know that 
they're already getting involved at a very young age," points out 
Leon. "We feel that if we can equip them at this age, with the 
different tools for their toolbox, so to speak, that they will be 
able to have the equipment they need to get them up over every hurdle 
that they experience throughout their young adult and adult lives."

The 11th Annual event in Midland was sponsored and coordinated by 
various police services, local business, school boards, community 
organizations and a large number of volunteers, which added to the 
success of the two-day event.

"This is truly a multi-jurisdictional effort with federal, 
provincial, municipal police, plus a very large volunteer component," 
said Leon. "Also, we are very fortunate that Racing Against Drugs is 
supported by the Midland business community and we have a very 
dedicated committee."
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