TAKING ACTION AGAINST DRUGS

If the Rest of Sarnia Was As Actively Engaged About Drug Abuse As the
Aamjiwnaang First Nation, We'd All Be Better Off.

Residents of the reserve have risen up in a grassroots movement,
seemingly determined to drive drug dealers from the community.

They're working with police, attending public forums and devising
strategies to combat what parents and band officials say is a serious problem.

It began in September when an elder brought her concerns to band
council. Out of that grew a committee and a community forum, at which
a drug expert discussed addiction issues.

A march was held Thanksgiving weekend, followed on Saturday by a
second march that attracted two dozen people, despite a miserable rain.

The plan is to continue the marches until every street on the First
Nation has been covered.

Speed, crack and prescription drug use is probably as widespread in
the rest of Sarnia as it is at at Aamjiwnaang. But reserve residents
should be commended for doing something about it.

A narcotics anonymous group began three weeks ago and health and
education workers will be sent to Toronto for crystal meth training.
Council approved a youth after-school exercise program to be run by a
former pro hockey player. Education days are in the works for school children.

Among those ready to help out is Lambton College nursing student
Annie Joseph, 20. If the community hopes to make progress, she said,
it must work with users and not talk down to them.

As Joseph put it: "You can't make the dark go away by yelling at it."