KIDS' DETOX DEMAND HIGH

AADAC Seeing Lots Of Interest In Program Forcing Children Into Treatment

Demand for a new provincial program that enables parents to force
their drug-addicted teens into detox is higher than anticipated,
according to the program's Calgary manager.

In July, the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission opened five
'safe houses' across the province where parents can send their
addicted children for round-the-clock supervision -- whether the
children want to go or not.

In the past, unless a youngster voluntarily sought help at the urging
of parents, there was little they could do.

As of mid-September, about 70 youth had been accepted across the
province, said Tom Mountain, AADAC's youth services residential
manager in Calgary.

Under the new Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act, which went
into effect July 1, parents can place an addicted youngster in the
five-day detox program after an assessment by drug counsellors.

The act applies to kids aged 12 to 17.

Mountain said the number of children entering the program is slightly
higher than anticipated.

"We're not sure if this is the initial response to this program
coming online, or if this is the way it will be," he said, adding the
program is being evaluated.

AADAC has 20 detox beds, split between Calgary, Picture Butte, Red
Deer, Edmonton and Grande Prairie.

Twelve contingency beds are also available in the event there are no
spaces, but those beds have not yet been used, said Mountain.

"There have been very few times when we've had to worry about one
program being full and another one being available," he said.

Critics argue the five-day program is too short to effectively
address drug addiction.

One Calgary mother of an addicted teen is calling on the province to
increase the mandatory length of stay.

"Five days is not enough by far to dry your kid out and get them
thinking straight," said the woman, who cannot be identified.

Her son became addicted to marijuana and crystal meth about three
years ago at the age of 12 and has experimented with everything from
ecstasy to crack cocaine to heroin.

She said the mandatory detox program for youngsters is a step in the
right direction, but she worries it isn't long enough to make any
real progress.

"I'm glad to see something, but it's not enough," she said.

But, Mountain said the program is a success because it reaches teens
who would otherwise have been able to refuse treatment.

"We certainly are engaging a lot of the young people into treatment.
It's a good step in the right direction," he said.

"Parents have really appreciated, so far, the opportunity to
intervene in a way they couldn't have before."

Terry Sirota, founder of Serenity House Drug & Alcohol Treatment
Centre, said there is a disturbing trend with drug addiction in Calgary.

"The entry into alcohol and drug addiction always gets earlier," he
said, adding he has clients as young as 12.

Sirota said many parents tolerate their children drinking and smoking
marijuana because they think it's harmless.

"And then the kid's on crystal meth and crack," he said.

HELP IS A CALL AWAY ...

WHERE TO SEEK HELP:

- - Contact your family doctor for options.

- - Serenity House Drug & Alcohol Treatment Centre, 212 - 8180 Mac-x0leod Tr.

Phone 255-2609

- - Foothills Medical Centre -- Addiction Centre, 1403 - 29 St. N.W.

Phone 944-2025 (Physician referral required for assessment/treatment services)

- - Aventa -- Addiction treatment for women

Phone 245-9050 or e-mail info@aventa.org

- - Alberta Alcohol and Drug abuse Commission (AADAC)

Phone 1-866-332-2322

POSSIBLE SIGNS OF DRUG USE:

- - Missing money

- - Change in academic behaviour

- - Change in schedule

- - Minor medical problems, such as headaches, stomach aches, red eyes and nausea

- - New friends

- - Mood swings

- - Aggression and irritability

- - Rapid weight loss or weight gain

- - Sores on the skin, or itchy skin that can lead to scratching, sores
and infection

- - Damage to the inside of the nose from snorting drugs