MORE KIDS ABUSING DRUGS

Mccreary Centre Society Shows Marijuana Use Increased From 29 Per Cent
In 1992 To 42 Per Cent

Forbidden fruit is still enticing.

Fraser Valley teens are being attracted to illegal drugs in increasing
numbers, according to a report released to the Fraser Valley Health
Region.

The McCreary Centre Society survey looked at various issues affecting
the health and welfare of teens in Mission and Chilliwack.

It shows marijuana use among teens in the Fraser Valley has climbed
significantly since 1992, when 29 per cent of teens said they had used
marijuana. That's grown to 42 per cent. Also up are the numbers who
have used marijuana 40 or more times - from nine per cent in 1992 to
15 per cent.

"That's not much of a surprise," said Phil Glaister, who manages
family programs for Mission Community Services.

With the abundance of grow operations, he said, the drug is easily
available.

Relatively high numbers of teens are also using other drugs -
mushrooms, hallucinogens, cocaine, amphetamines and heroin. In fact,
amphetamine use among local teens is higher than the B.C. average.

"The drugs that are available are scary," Glaister said. "You see it
everywhere."

A report on HIV/AIDS commissioned by the Fraser Valley Health Region
also lists illegal drugs as a concern among young people. In
particular, it singles out heroin as a concern.

"Youth are smoking heroin as an entry-level drug, attracted by the
ease of concealment and the lack of a lingering odour after use," it
says.

Dr. Gillian Arsenault, the region's medical health officer, said it's
no surprise that teens don't always make wise choices.

"The kids end up at risk from going into risky behaviours and doing
stupid and dangerous things, in part because they're kids," she said.
"Even healthy kids can make dangerous choices." It's part of what
Glaister calls the "invincibility" myth - teens believe nothing bad
can happen to them."Youth will not take the time to learn what they're
doing to themselves," he said.

Arsenault pointed out that drugs are often part of a larger
problem.

"If real life is too painful, being stoned is better," she
said.

"If real life is fun, being stoned is a pain."

There isn't a simple answer to stopping drug use.

The Fraser Valley has some strengths going for it, Arsenault said:
strong family structures and faith communities, which help support
young people.

But that doesn't mean there's no problem.

Arsenault said Valley residents, like anyone,tend to fall under the
sway of two common myths: "This is not a problem in my
family/neighbourhood/community," and "All you have to do is make
something illegal and it will disappear."

As to the first, she said, denial never made anything go away. And as
to the second,Arsenault said making something illegal and
concentrating on enforcement will never solve the problem.

"God didn't have any success with it," she pointed
out.

Stopping teens from using drugs takes a long process of early
intervention in their lives,education about the risks, supportive
family and friends,treatment for those with problems.

Treatment and prevention must go hand in hand, Arsenault
said.

"You have to do both. Otherwise you will be certainly doing nothing
but putting out fires, when you aren't doing anything about the matches."