STUDENTS TO HEAR DRUG MESSAGE

There is nothing quite like hearing it from someone who has been there.

Hundreds of Cochrane teens will have that chance at Cochrane and Bow Valley
High Schools next week as the Citizens on Patrol is presenting the Ray of
Hope Drugs Awareness Seminars.

Julian Madigan of Calgary and his father Jerry share with the teens about
Julian's experience with drugs from when he was 15-years-old, beginning
with the first time he gave into the temptation to his desperate struggle
to escape the drug culture and the impact it had on his entire family.

Madigan has written a #1 best-selling book detailing his experiences - The
Agony of Ecstasy.

The seminar deals specifically with so-called "soft drugs" and the culture
that surrounds them.

RCMP community liaison officer Patty Neely said these seminars are as
needed in Cochrane as anywhere else.

"If anyone doesn't think drugs are in Cochrane, they're either closing
their eyes, or being naive," Neely said.

"Is ecstasy in Cochrane? Yes," she stated. "Have we seized any in Cochrane?
No. It's not overwhelmingly prevalent."

She said raves and all-night parties aren't big factors in Cochrane, but
just a few minutes down the road in Calgary is a different story.

Neely warned that today's youth seem to look at these drugs as harmless,
with no long-term effects. She said everybody could end up paying the price
for these attitudes down the road.

"Some of the long-term effects of these drugs are devastating, and I think
our society is going to be paying a price for years to come from some of
the permanent damage that is happening to these kids."

The reason that these students will be hearing the presentations is because
they are among the very highest risk group for drug abuse.

"The biggest user group is 16- to 25-year-olds," Neely said. "They are at
the highest risk for drug use. Once people are out in the work force, they
don't have time anymore to stay up all night or do drugs.

"If you miss a class, oh well, it's a class, if you miss a day of work, you
lose your job."

Neely was quick to add not every young person going to these raves or
parties is getting involved in the drug culture.

"In fact, there is a whole group of dedicated non-drug users that attend
and advertise their drug-free status," she said. "But, a large percentage
are using."

Neely warned these drugs, which include ecstasy, LSD, hash, marijuana and a
number of others, are becoming more and more mainstream and that it is time
people sit up and take notice of what is happening.

She is hopeful these seminars can make a difference to some kids.

"Even if they help one student in every class they speak in make a decision
not to get involved with drugs, that's the goal of the seminars."

The Madigans speak at Cochrane High School on Oct. 17 and then at Bow
Valley on Oct. 18.