GRADES 4-7 TARGETED FOR DRUG PROGRAM

Educators are starting early in hammering home the message that there's no
hope when you're on dope.

Beginning this fall, Surrey and Vancouver school districts will introduce
pilot projects in drug-prevention and intervention education that will
start with kids as young as Grade 4.

"We find that in order to have an impact on the children, we have to start
them young," said Alice Tiles of the Surrey School Board.

"We have to arm the students with knowledge and education so they can make
healthy choices."

The project is planned for children in Grades 4 to 7.

Tiles said that while they will teach Grade 4 kids -- age 8 and 9 -- about
the risks of drugs, it does not mean they are seeing a drug problem at that
age.

"The idea is to make them aware of the dangers of drugs," she said.

While much is being said about the devastating problem of crystal meth,
Tiles said there is no evidence it is showing up at schools in the lower
grades.

She said the program will concentrate on educating students about tobacco,
alcohol and pot.

"At the elementary level we are focusing on the gateway drugs," she said.

The pilot project will run for six weeks, for one or two hours per week.

In Surrey, the program will run in seven schools.

Tiles also said the schools will work closely with the RCMP in getting the
message out.

And they will make it clear to parents that they need to be aware of the
problem.

"It's a very serious issue," said Tiles. "We have been holding parent
forums to make them aware of the problems."