More resources and a long-term treatment facility on the Island to deal with addicted youth are what's needed. That's the word from participants at a consultation meeting held to discuss youth addiction strategy. The meeting, held last week at Westisle High School, was the last in a series of meetings organized by the department of health across the province. The meeting asked the question: "If youth addictions services in the province were to be improved and/or expanded, what would you recommend?" [continues 462 words]
More than 40 people turned out at a public consultation held in Summerside on P.E.I.'s addiction services for youth. Here are some of their comments. Bill Campbell, counsellor, said the P.E.I. system simply isn't working: "I've had calls from as far away as Alberta on a Prince Edward Island youth. And the father going to go out there and wondering what he could do because his son's going to die. I said, 'Find something in Alberta. If you're interested in his life, don't take him to Prince Edward Island.'" [continues 396 words]
Getting help for drug addiction is never easy and where teens are involved, families face even more obstacles. A grandson in trouble with the law, struggling with an addiction. A Summerside woman said it took her 10 calls and 15 people to get him help. And she'd been through the system before - since one of her children battled addiction too. "It is certainly an effect that I don't wish on anybody," said the woman, who tried to help her grandson when frustrated parents didn't know where to turn. "It's hell for the person that's using, but it's also hell for the parents who find it very, very, very difficult to find help. What phone number do they call? What office do they call?" [continues 344 words]
Editor, What a pleasure it is to see Canada's drug warriors reduced to throwing hissy fits. Chief Jamie Fox should lighten up (pun entirely intended). Fox should quit acting like a petulant little girl and get to work solving real crimes. He and his cronies have been playing "silly bugger" arresting people for an herb for far too long. It's over. Now get back to work, Fox, on laws that exist and matter. Chuck Beyer Victoria, B.C. [end]
Statistics Show Summerside Has Increase In Break-Ins Summerside and Charlottetown are heading in opposite directions, at least when it comes to frequency of residential break-ins. Summerside police reported 99 residential break-ins in 2006, up from 65 in 2005 and 44 in 2004, while Charlottetown registered 132 break-ins in 2006, down from 145 in 2005, and 167 the previous year. Summerside deputy police chief David Griffin said last year was the "worst ever" in terms of residential break-ins. [continues 399 words]
The news that police recently conducted the fourth crack cocaine bust in a month should be sobering to all Islanders. If there's any doubt that heavy duty drugs have infiltrated P.E.I., this should dispel it. There have been other indications that the illegal drug culture is thriving here. The P.E.I. Pharmacy Board said recently that some cough medicines were put behind the pharmacy counter last April because some consumers were making crystal methamphetamine from the products. [continues 52 words]
SUMMERSIDE - Summerside Police Services will introduce the DARE (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program to local grade 5 and 6 classes in Summerside. The program is designed to teach students the facts about tobacco, marijuana and alcohol use with the goal of preventing youth from using these substances. Summerside Police Services Chief Dave Poirier said, "The DARE program is being introduced to students to help them prepare for intermediate and high school. The program will not only educate the students on substance abuse, but will also open the lines of communication between the students and police." [continues 122 words]
This is in response to the editorial 'Appropriate treatment for addicted youth/Government may need a more persuasive case before changing its plans' (The Guardian, Jan. 25, 2007). What's perceived to be a serious problem in our community, as quoted by the editor, is a serious problem in our community. I am a member of the Summerside-area group lobbying the provincial government for the long-term youth addiction treatment program and facility here on P.E.I. We have been working on this issue for the past five years with the help and support of our adviser and mentor Dr. Sheldon R. Cameron. His expertise in the addictions field has helped hundreds of addicts to recover, he has helped hundreds of families with coping skills, and he has saved many, many lives (one of those lives was my son's). He has won many local and national awards over the years for his work in addictions. [continues 801 words]
Government may need a more persuasive case before changing its plans. The growing opposition in Summerside to the provincial government's plan for helping drug-addicted young people has some impressive clout, but it may need to work a little harder to get government on side. A group of Summerside-area parents wants government to create long-term drug care for young people with drug problems. The province is committed to a facility for drug-addicted youth, but the parents say the three-month program being proposed won't be effective. They want to follow the lead of other provinces and bring in a long-term addiction program under legislation that would force youth into treatment. [continues 304 words]
CHARLOTTETOWN - Only weeks on the job, the capital police's new street crime unit has already stopped thousands of dollars in drugs from reaching Island streets. In two busts, the most recent Thursday morning, the unit seized crack cocaine, marijuana, Ecstasy, prescription narcotics and other drugs. Two adult males, two female youth and a male youth were arrested in Thursday's bust and jailed overnight. Each faces charges of possession of drugs for purpose of trafficking and possession of stolen property. [continues 194 words]
SUMMERSIDE - If it takes a community to raise a child, it might also take one to get that child off drugs. Summerside city council took a step forward on that front Monday night. Council agreed to endorse the efforts of a parents' support group, which has been lobbying the Province for a youth addiction facility. The group also wants legislation allowing parents to force their children to get help. Coun. Garth Lyle, who brought the resolution forward, attended one of the group's meetings. He told council the stories he heard would tear your heart out. [continues 142 words]
RCMP Dare program visits schools ELLERSLIE - Thirty Grade 6 students have graduated from the RCMP's DARE Program. DARE is an acronym for Drug Abuse Resistance Education. The 10-session program is designed to equip elementary, intermediate and high school children with knowledge about drug abuse, and to provide them with skills for resisting peer pressure to experiment with alcohol, drugs and tobacco. The program introduces children to the DARE decision-making process to define, assess, respond and evaluate. "I enjoyed the activities," graduate Brandon Williams said. [continues 172 words]
SUMMERSIDE - Garth Lyle wants Summerside city council to go to bat for children enslaved by drugs. At Monday's year-end council meeting, the veteran Ward 2 councillor will ask the city to back a local parent lobby group's call to establish a new long-term in-patient facility in Summerside. The proposed facility for 14-21 year-olds would be based at the Summerside Youth Centre. "I'm going to ask Summerside council to ask our MLAs to work with the Parent Support Group and (push) the government to work a little faster to get the facility open." [continues 210 words]
Presentation in Morell Emphasizes Being Actively Involved In Children's Lives MORELL - Be aware, be alert and be involved was the message to parents at Morell regional high school at a recent meeting called to offer information about the growing array of street drugs available to children on P.E.I. Charlottetown police officer Gary Clow and Margie MacLean of Murphy's Pharmacies spoke to 22 local parents about everything from alcohol and tobacco additions, to ecstasy, crack cocaine and crystal meth. [continues 325 words]
RCMP, Youth Counsellor Speak To Parents About Being Vigilant With Their Kids When It Comes To Drugs With Asian drug gangs operating in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and crystal meth moving east, Island drug experts are advising parents to stay closely involved in the daily life of their children. RCMP Const. Reg Campbell and youth drug counsellor Kevin MacKinnon were guest speakers at a recent parent information meeting co-hosted by the Colonel Gray Home and School Association. Only 15 people showed up for the workshop aimed at informing parents about the state and nature of substance abuse on P.E.I. [continues 382 words]
DRUGS ARE TEARING FAMILIES APART AND PARENTS DON'T KNOW WHERE TO TURN SUMMERSIDE - A father sits in a room at the back of Prince County Hospital chatting with other parents about his son. He's not boasting about hockey games, math tests or girls. He's explaining how he called the RCMP and kicked his son out of the house. The teen has assaulted his parents and stolen jewelry and money from their safe. The family has a daughter with physical challenges. That money would help pay for a wheelchair ramp. [continues 1153 words]
Stephen Harper's federal government faces quite an ethical dilemma. On one hand, they have to be seen as tough on illegal drug abuse. On the other, upon accepting the fact that drug addiction is a reality, they have to address a byproduct of drug addiction -- the spread of disease through the sharing of dirty needles. Some people feel the answer lies with safe-injection sites. The argument goes, "Oh well, if we can't stop them from abusing drugs anyway, let's at least try to protect others." [continues 443 words]
Police say growers elsewhere have stooped to diabolical methods when it comes to protecting their investment. Harvesting season is just starting for one of the most lucrative cash crops around - marijuana. And with the start of clandestine harvesting, RCMP warn the public to be careful around suspicious fields, since marijuana growers have been known to resort to such measures as planting booby-traps to ward off unwanted visitors. Booby traps could include everything from covered holes and boards with nails to bear traps, said Sgt. Jamie George, operations NCO of the Prince County RCMP. [continues 251 words]
A recent story on the illegal drug trade in Prince Edward Island is a reminder of the ongoing challenge faced by police to fight the drug war. According to police, during 2004-2005, there were more than 150 drug-related occurrences, more than 350 drug-related seizures and more than 100 people charged with drug-related offences. An additional 35 were handled through other measures, such as the Youth Justice program. Clearly more work is needed on three fronts: enforcement, education for parents on how to talk to their kids about drugs, and encouraging the public to take action if they suspect drug activity in their neighbourhoods. [end]
Police try to strike balance between show of force and exhibiting patience in an ongoing battle against the lucrative drug business in Prince Edward Island. Along with a weapon, Const. Wayne Conrad needs to pack plenty of patience to police the illegal drug trade in Prince Edward Island. The only quick fix in this lucrative business is the high that users get from pot, cocaine, heroin and other drugs that feed the trade. Officers like Conrad need to take their time to put a decent dent in this crime that is largely fuelled by addiction. [continues 1387 words]
Inside Prince Edward Island
