NEW DRUG PREVENTION PROGRAM LAUNCHED BY AADAC AND RCMP

Alberta Health Services (AHS) and the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse
Commission (AADAC), together with the RCMP, recently announced the
launch of a new prevention program called Kids and Drugs - A Parent's
Guide to Prevention. The program is intended to assist parents and
other concerned adults in helping school age children avoid alcohol
and drug abuse. Kathie Gavin, prevention co-ordinator for AADAC, says
the new program goes beyond the basic drug education provided to
parents in the past, addressing important protective factors for
youth including effective parenting practices.

"In the past, when parents asked about drug information sessions we
would give them the good, bad and ugly ... The new program broadens
the scope of parents' understanding. It's about giving your kids
confidence, having open communication and giving them support," says Gavin.

Content of the program is built on known factors that prevent
substance abuse, says Gavin, like improved communication, support,
decision-making and discipline.

The programs four core areas examine the importance of parental role
modeling, enhancing communication skills, decision making, and the
final area, "What parents need to know about drugs." This final
workshop provides information on commonly used drugs and their risks,
as well as reasons why kids use drugs and the signs and symptoms of a
developing problem.

Gavin says different substances are used according to different
trends, but a constant remains in that tobacco, alcohol and marijuana
are the most likely drugs of choice.

"Other illicit drugs are small in number with regard to use by young
people. The really common ones are right in front of us, ingrained in
our culture. We need to talk about prevention with consideration of
all the substances we use in our culture, and develop some respectful
attitudes about that."

Gavin says prevention is a long-term investment, and it's an
important one that involves consideration of cultural values,
attitudes and norms.

The focus of the new program is on prevention, not on intervention or
treatment, says Gavin, so the program's workshops are designed for
families where there is no significant problem already.

Gavin says input into the new program was gathered from addictions,
enforcement and educational specialists then piloted at six sites
across Canada. Through formative evaluation, Gavin explains that
certain aspects of the program were then revised. For example,
because one of the objectives was to give communities flexibility in
when and how they offer the program, suggestions like offering it at
work sites or through school councils was incorporated into the
program's design.

The Kids and Drugs prevention program was developed over a three year
period by AADAC and the RCMP, says Gavin, and replaces an earlier
RCMP program called Two Way Street.

For more information about the program, including a free download of
the parent's booklet, go to http://www.aadac.com/565_502.asp . The
AADAC website also contains a parent information series, addressing
prevention, intervention and treatment of substance abuse in youth
(http://www.aadac.com/). AADAC can also be reached toll free; 1-866-332-2322.