Pubdate: Wed, 08 Mar 2006 Source: Airdrie Echo (CN AB) Copyright: 2006 Airdrie Echo Contact: http://www.airdrieecho.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1558 Author: Brendan Wood, Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) DRUG AWARENESS Former Police Officer Shares Expertise The Airdrie, Crossfield and District Youth Justice committee (YJC) presented renowned speaker Steve Walton at Bert Church Theatre Thursday in an evening of drug education and information for local parents. In an effort to get parents to work together with their children on drug prevention, Walton, a retired vice cop, spoke to parents about the threats and problems associated with drug use among teens. The focus of the presentation was to educate parents on the old and new generations of drugs, specifically the most dangerous new drug -- methamphetamine and one of its forms, crystal meth. According to Walton, many of today's youths are far more aware of these narcotics than are their parents. "What I do is introduce (parents) to the world of drugs the way that their children see it," he said. "I think it helps. It helps everybody -- the kids, the parents -- if they're willing to learn. I see it as an expansion of a knowledge base." Walton doesn't seek to preach whether drugs are right or wrong, but rather provides parents the tools with which to help their children make an informed decision on drug usage. "My position is drug use is a personal choice," he said, "but my observation was as an undercover cop that a lot of young kids decide to use drugs, but they don't know what the possible consequences are." Although somewhat disappointed with the turnout -- fewer than 100 parents were in attendance -- Donna Nordon, YJC secretary-treasurer, said that parents who did attend showed genuine interest in the subject matter. "The questions were very good -- it seemed like there were parents who genuinely had concerns that they wanted answered," Nordon said. "If they take it home to their kids that's the main thing." Walton will also make a similar presentation to Grade 7 students throughout the city later this month, with the aim of getting across one clear message: trust those who love you, not those who provide drugs for you. "Kids are willing to intrinsically trust their drug dealer," Walton said. "I tell them, 'Trust your mom and dad, they have your best interests at heart. Don't trust your drug dealer, because they have their best interests at heart.'" Thursday's presentation to parents differed from the one Walton gives to students, as the attention span among young people on such a subject is usually quite a bit shorter than that of their parents. "I know as an educator there's a tendency for a 12-year-old to zone me out because I'm an old guy," he said. "I'm not there to try to bore them to tears, so in the youth program they get a bunch of information thrown at them in a very short time. "I have some graphic photographs that they see," he added, "and I show them a graphic video sequence which is interspersed throughout." Walton, a 25-year veteran of law enforcement, is author of the award-winning and best-selling book First Response Guide to Street Drugs, Volume 1. His second book -- Club Drugs, Designer Drugs, and Preditorial Chemicals: First Response Guide to Street Drugs, Volume 2 - -- is now on shelves. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman