FINDING COMFORT IN REFORMING DEALERS

The Sherwood Park Parents Empowering Parents program, which helps
families cope when children have addictions to drugs or alcohol, is
now reaching out to reforming drug dealers.

A pilot program for the last six months, about seven drug dealers have
participated, meeting face-to-face with parents to see the effect
their actions have had on the lives of a family.

"It's really been enlightening for them," PEP co-founder Maralyn Benay
said about the experience for the reforming drug dealers. "There is a
healing that happens for both the parents and the young people that
end up doing drugs for whatever reason."

The former dealers are usually entered into the program via a court
order as a means for community service after being arrested, Benay
explained. Most of them are young adults.

They are screened before entering the program to ensure that they have
the right frame of mind and that they are "in the right place in their
own recovery," she said.

Though positive, the combining of parents and ex-drug dealers has had
mixed results: flaring tempers and apologies.

Benay recalled one young adult who apologized after listening to a
mother talk about her daughter's addictions. "He had tears in his
eyes," Benay said, adding he said he was unaware his drug dealing
would affect children.

"To them, it can just be a financial transaction" to help fund their
own drug use, Benay said.

Conversely, a parent once had to be restrained from taking his anger
out on a drug dealer. Once calm, the parent apologized for his actions.

For the most part, "They become a member of the family, almost," Benay
said. One ex-dealer even brought his fiancee to the meetings to help
her understand what he's going through.

Parents use the time to talk with the former dealers and ask about
signs that their children are using drugs. The reformed dealers then
give advice and tips on what to look for. "Their opinion is
warranted," Benay said. "And they're a wonderful resource."

"As they're cleaning up and in recovery, I think they're carrying a
guilty conscience," Benay said of the the young adults' participation
in the group.

Their presence in the group also serves a second purpose, Benay said:
Seeing the former drug dealers succeed in beating their past also
provides hope for parents who are trying to help their kids overcome
their drug or alcohol addictions.

The program began in the summer of 2008 when Benay and her PEP
co-founders (Tina Dow and Audrey Holliday) were approached about it by
a probation officer who doubles as a facilitator for PEP's anti-drug
and alcohol youth support group called U-Turn.

"She was right on it," Benay said. "She saw potential
there."

Although dealers who wish to reform cannot voluntarily enter into the
program without a court order for community service first, Benay said
there may be plans to open up the program in the future.

The group's next meeting is 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 13 at the county
hall basement.