PARENTS ARE FOCUS OF DRUG AWARENESS PROGRAM

"Crack cocaine and ecstasy is very different from what we are used to
seeing. I was shocked that most schools have seen these drugs. Things
are scarier now."

- -- Laurie Vanoni, family liaison counselor Foothills Composite High School

Like fashion, there are always trends when it comes to drug use, but
counselors are concerned this latest runway leads to a dead end.

While alcohol and marijuana are still the most common drugs of choice
for youth there is an alarming trend among local teens who are
turning to more hardcore drugs such as crack cocaine and ecstasy.

As a result, four community groups have banded together to organize a
Parent Drug Awareness program that will provide parents with
information and resources to address drug use with their children.

The event will be held on Jan. 23 at the small gym at Foothills
Composite High School from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The program will include information from the Okotoks Healthy Family
Resource Centre, the local RCMP, school counselors and AADAC.

While the goal of the program is to prevent drug use among youth,
Joanne Dzurka of the Okotoks Healthy Family Resource Centre, said
parents are an integral tool in the fight against drug abuse.

"I think parents have always had concerns," said Dzurka. "But we are
getting more calls about what kids are getting into and what they can
do to help."

Laurie Vanoni, a family liaison counselor at Foothills Composite High
School, said drug use is popping up in schools across Okotoks, not
just the high schools. As a result, parents need to be made aware of
what is happening and what they can do to help.

"Most parents don't know much about it," said Vanoni of the prevalent
drug use. "When we do deal with it it seems we are always trying to
catch when the kids are already dealing with drugs.

"This time we want to give parents strategies to get their kids to
start thinking about not using drugs."

Although whether or not their children are experimenting with drugs
is a concern with most parents, what drugs they are choosing is
almost more of a concern.

Vanoni said she does not know if drug use is on the rise in Okotoks,
but the types of drugs teens are using seems to be changing.

"Crack cocaine and ecstasy is very different from what we are used to
seeing," she said. "I was shocked that most schools have seen these
drugs. Things are scarier now."

Cheryl Houtekamer, community programs supervisor for AADAC, will be
speaking in Okotoks and she said the drugs of choice have not
changed, but she added more dangerous drugs such as cocaine are
becoming more accessible to young people.

Houtekamer said 75 per cent of high school students will try alcohol
and 36 per cent will experiment with marijuana and only two or three
per cent will try cocaine.

However, it does not mean parents should not be aware of the issues
surrounding trends in drug use.

"We have to be attentive to everything," said Houtekamer. "There are
a small number who will try cocaine so we cannot forget the ones
students are likely to try like alcohol and marijuana. But we still
have to discuss drugs beyond marijuana and alcohol."

At the Parent Drug Awareness evening speakers will provide parents
with the tools and resources to broach the issue of drug use with
their children.

"Parents often feel if their children refuse help there is nothing
they can do," said Dzurka. "But parents can get help. We want to give
them the tools to open the lines of communication. We want to give
them the message that there are things they can do."

Houtekamer said organizing an evening for parents rather than youth
is another means of developing a multi-faceted approaching in dealing
with drug use. "This is for parents with a view at prevention," she
explained. "This is for parents who think their child may experiment
with drugs or is involved in drug use. We want to cover the whole gamut.

"We want the parents to go home with good ideas on how to broach the subject."

The Parent Drug Awareness evening is open to anyone who wishes to
attend. Presentations will be made by AADAC and Const. Geoff
Carpenter of the Okotoks RCMP. In addition, there will be booths set
up with tools, resources and other information relating to drugs and drug use.

For more information contact Joanne Dzurka at the Okotoks Healthy
Family Resource Centre at 995-2626