Pubdate: Thu, 25 Oct 2012
Source: Peterborough This Week (CN ON)
Copyright: Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing
Contact: http://www.mykawartha.com/generalform
Website: http://www.mykawartha.com/community/peterborough
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1794
Author: Sarah Frank

PETERBOROUGH YOUTH GATHER AT SHOWPLACE TO TALK POT

Peterborough Drug Strategy and Local Health Unit Put on Second Event 
in the "Pot Talks" Series

Peterborough - Brad Embree and marijuana go way back.

His relationship with the drug spans approximately 15 years, starting 
when he was 18. It eventually opened the door to other, more harmful 
drugs, stints in jail and mental health issues. Now at 40 years old, 
Mr. Embree can clearly pin point when his life went-off track, and on 
Oct. 25, during one of the Peterborough Drug Strategy's "Pot Talks" 
information sessions, Mr. Embree started from the beginning, when he 
was a high school senior.

After moving to Alberta with his family, Mr. Embree says he began 
using marijuana with a group of friends. While he doesn't blame 
marijuana for the 15 years of turmoil that followed, he says using 
the drug was a gateway to other drugs. He describes meeting his 
dealer like going to the convenient store.

"You pick a feeling, you buy it and you try it," he says, in these 
words, it's a simple process.

After a stressful situation at school cost him some friends and 
created some anxiety, he started using marijuana more, thinking it 
would ease his anxious feelings. It didn't.

"Marijuana was like my medicine bag," he says. "I brought it 
everywhere I went."

Soon Mr. Embree ran into trouble with the law. He ended up in jail, 
and eventually, on the street, he says.

Near the end of his bought with the drug, he started to have 
delusional thoughts. He was speaking to his T.V, hearing noises in 
his apartment, and he at one point he says he worried his intercom 
was hooked up to his landlord's intercom.

He used the drug more thinking it would ease the symptoms. Again, it 
didn't. In a desperate cry for help, Mr. Embree says he called the 
911 reporting his apartment building was on fire.

When emergency crews showed up, he just held his hands high, he says. 
"I told them it wasn't really burning down, but I needed help, and I 
needed help now," he says.

It was after this incident he was treated for a first episode of 
psychosis. Today, Mr. Embree is clean, and he's proud of it.

His presentation to youth was only part of the information and 
discussion session regarding youth's perception of marijuana, put on 
in collaboration with the local health unit.

Amy Porath-Waller, senior research and policy advisor with the 
Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse, spent approximately an hour 
addressing youth's questions surrounding marijuana, which were sent 
in by text prior to and during the session.

One of the biggest concerns youth have about the drug, is the long 
and short-term health implications, which in the short-term include 
impairment of concentration and reaction time, and in the long-term 
include possible respiratory damage if the drug is smoked. With 
heavy, chronic use, Dr. Porath-Waller says the drug will also impair 
memory, attention span and the user's ability to multi-task.

"You people particularly at risk," she says, adding a youth's brain 
is constantly undergoing major development. "Cannabis can actually 
alter the brain."

They were also interested to know if the drug is addictive in nature. 
Dr. Porath-Waller says there isn't much research that's been done in 
Canada regarding whether marijuana is addictive, but she points to 
American research revealing one in 10 marijuana users there will 
become dependent on the drug.

In a study conducted amongst Canadian youth, which involved 
one-on-one interviews, Dr. Porath-Waller was able to share some 
youths' responses to commonly-asked questions about marijuana use.

When asked why youth would choose not to use marijuana, Ms 
Porath-Waller says youth in the survey gave multiple reasons, 
including not wanting to disappoint family, potential impacts to 
performance at school and a busy schedule.

However, some youth in the survey noted other family members' use of 
the drug as a reason to use it, with some even noting they've used 
the drug with their parents.

Among the other topics discussed by youth were medicinal marijuana 
and driving while under the influence.

Mr. Embree advises youth to know the facts about marijuana before 
getting involved with the drug, and possibly others.

"If you're going to use marijuana, what's to say you won't take that 
hit of acid, or drop that (ecstasy), or snort that line," he says. 
"Soon you're using a template for why you picked up weed to explain 
why you're picking up, in my opinion, more dangerous drugs. . .I've 
learned that it doesn't work for me."

The session was followed-up by an evening event for parents and other 
members of the community, during which Dr. Porath-Waller discussed a 
series of research titled, Clearing the Smoke on Cannabis.

The Peterborough Drug Strategy, which will announce later dates for 
"Pot Talks" events soon, is currently looking for youth interested in 
joining a local speaking panel on marijuana. Youth who have ideas for 
future events, or would like apply to join the speaking panel, can 
contact the drug strategy at  or 
text 705-868-0928.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom