Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jun 2007 Source: 100 Mile House Free Press (CN BC) Copyright: 2007 100 Mile House Free Press Contact: http://www.100milefreepress.net/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2143 Author: Al Paterson Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) PUBLIC FORUM ADDRESSES DRUG ISSUES The Problem Has Been Clearly Defined. Now It's Time To Do Something About It. Results of the South Cariboo Methamphetamine Response Program were released on Monday night at a public forum at the Red Coach Inn. The program will be repeated June 18 at the same place, starting at 7 p.m. Stuart Clark, Project Co-ordinator and Executive Director of Educo, summarized the 75-page report, but warned against expecting too much too soon. "This is an effort that has to be seen in the long-term," he said. "Other places such as Richmond and Princeton have adopted a community strategy and they are seeing some very positive and encouraging results. We're hoping for similar results in this area. This (Monday night's meeting) is not a solution-based presentation." The bottom line, after sitting through a 90-minute synopsis of the study which included 597 area students, is a committee will be formed to combat the issues and difficulties raised. It will be an all-encompassing committee, with representation from a variety of walks of life. The committee, according to Clark, will ideally consist of at least one person representing the school district, sports and recreation players and coaches, local service providers, local media, the RCMP, youth asset building organizations such as Educo and Rotary, Canim Lake youth and band elders, the Chamber of Commerce and any community interested people. The broad goals of the committee will be to create a funding proposal for an asset building strategy, to steer and act as an advisory to the strategy and co-ordinator of the strategy, as well as to act as an asset building resource for the South Cariboo. The problems facing area youth are much more than simply methamphetamine use. In fact, the use of meth locally is relatively minor, according to the survey. By far, the main problem is alcohol abuse and that goes for all age groups and both genders. The study looked at a total of 40 assets deemed necessary for youths to develop into healthy, productive adults and identified areas that need improvement. Occasional and high-risk behaviours were rated. Males were more likely to engage in high-risk behaviour with violence coming in at 33 per cent, alcohol abuse 31 per cent, anti-social behaviour at 20 per cent and illicit drug use was fourth at 19 per cent. Violence with males was 24 per cent higher than in females, but the most major increase was shown to be with alcohol. Students in Grades 6 through 11 were included in the survey, which showed that violence was the only high-risk behaviour that decreased with age. Alcohol was cited as the leading high-risk behaviour among Grade 11's at 57 per cent, with illicit drug use climbing to 44 per cent. Sex came in at 38 per cent, followed by violence at 37 per cent and anti-social behaviour at 34 per cent. Clark cited a Search Institute study which he said indicated: "The more assets a young person experiences, the more likely he or she will choose a healthy lifestyle." That held true regardless of age, race, gender or region. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath