TEENAGE DRUG ADDICT CONFINED

A Sylvan Lake mother is thankful that police pulled her 17-year-old
son out of bed and put him into confinement for five days.

It was the only way her family could get him into detox for his
cocaine addiction.

Alberta's new Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act allows a
guardian or parent of a minor who is abusing drugs or alcohol to apply
to provincial court for an apprehension and confinement order.

The legislation went into effect on July 1, allowing parents to force
their child into a detox program for at least five days.

As of last Friday, confinement orders had been granted for 28
children, including five from Central Alberta.

"This (act) is a good thing," said the mother, who's son started using
marijuana four years ago and quickly graduated to cocaine.

When a child is controlled by drugs or alcohol, a parent loses
control. The new legislation shifts the equilibrium.

"It gives us some power back."

Her teenage son has threatened to kill himself with a kitchen knife in
front of her.

Drugs kept him awake for days at a time. He had constant mood
swings.

"He was out of it. He was so bad. He'd come home in the morning and
stay in bed all day.

"I think he knew how bad off he was. That drug has such a hold on
him."

Her son stole money from her bank account. He's been in and out of
court and spent a week and a half in the custody in a youth remand
centre.

He returns to court today for failing to attend court-ordered drug
counselling.

His mother hopes he will be sentenced to a few days in custody to keep
him away from drugs.

She knows he was using marijuana within a few days of his release on
July 19 from detox.

Now he's back to using cocaine, but she said the detox was the start
of something good.

"I see a little, tiny ray of sunshine."

His time in detox was also good for the family, giving them a few days
of "respite," said the mother of three.

But the legislation has to allow for longer confinement to give
children a better chance to begin to turn their lives around, she said.

"I know, I know," said Red Deer North MLA Mary Anne Jablonski, who
introduced the legislation as a private member's bill in March 2005.

She expected parents to react that way. Her bill originally looked at
lengthier confinement based on the pleas of parents.

"I think what we need to do is work with government to see if we can
keep those kids in longer."

But it will need the full support of government, she
added.

The Sylvan Lake mother said she knows her son must make the decision
to quit using drugs. But his self-esteem plummeted due to addiction
and he couldn't take that first step by himself.

"They get so far down the road, they think there's no coming
back."

It took a few trips between Red Deer's Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Commission office and provincial court to get the paperwork in order
and set a court date to appear before a judge.

But the leg work was done in one day and the order for confinement was
on the court docket in 48 hours.

She said she'd do it again.

They needed a police escort to get her son into detox because he
refused to enter the program voluntarily.

She encouraged parents to make use of the legislation as soon as their
child starts using drugs, even marijuana. And if necessary, call the
police to apprehend their child.

Legislation does not specify how many times a parent can apply for a
confinement order.

Twenty detox beds for youth, including three in Red Deer, are
available.