SERIES SHEDS LIGHT ON SUBSTANCE USE

Whether a student is smoking marijuana on a regular basis or turning
to cocaine for an increased high, drug abuse is dealt with regularly
in North Okanagan schools.

And it's not just drugs, but often a combination of drug and alcohol
use that some students are involved in, said Doug Rogers, Vernon
School District substance abuse prevention counsellor.

While the schools try to do their part in educating all students
about drugs and alcohol, sometimes it's not enough.

So to help spread the education even further into society a free
Substance Abuse Awareness Series for the public is beginning Tuesday
at Vernon Secondary at 7 p.m.

"The way to get rid of it and reduce it is to educate," said Rogers.

The series is open to the public but Rogers particularly encourages
parents to attend as they are the ones who are with their children
the majority of the time and can have a huge impact on the decisions
their kids make.

"What a lot of people don't realize is we (the schools) only have the
kids nine per cent of the time, 91 per cent of the time they're with you."

As educators in the home, Rogers reminds that parents themselves
should be educated with up-to-date information, instead of some of
the dated information about drugs and alcohol they learned back when
they were in school.

The presentations will also be a place people can seek help, whether
for their children or themselves.

To help update the public, Dr. Chris Cunningham, emergency room
physician and president of Vernon Jubilee Hospital medical staff,
will be speaking on some of the general aspects of drug use Tuesday.

"I will give a perspective from my experience as an emergency
physician treating those patients presenting to the ER department,"
said Cunningham, who may also share experiences of cases.

Although he is a busy man, Cunningham is volunteering his time for the series.

"This is important to me, as a parent and a physician. I believe it
is important to educate parents and adolescents of the negative
aspects of drug use in our community."

Continuing the series at a later date, Betty Keding, concurrent
disorders therapist with the Interior Health Authority, will be
speaking at Charles Bloom Secondary.

Keding will be sharing information on how mental illness can be
related to substance abuse and vice versa.

"It's hard to tell whether it's mental illness that's first, for
example someone who starts drinking to control their illness, or
whether someone started smoking pot and bipolar kicked in," said Keding.

Const. Brian Evans with the Vernon RCMP drug task force will also be
speaking for the third part of the Substance Abuse Awareness Series.

For more information contact Rogers at 549-6179.