COUNTY COUNCIL UPDATED ON DRUG ISSUES

Most Youth Feel It's Important Not To Use Drugs Or Alcohol, Marijuana
And Alcohol Remain Most Abused Substances

Drugs are not as easy to access, and marijuana and alcohol continue
to be the drug of choice in Strathcona County, council heard on Tuesday.

There is a 15-per-cent decrease in the youth that believe illegal
drugs are easy to obtain from last year with 33 per cent saying drugs
are easy to find.

Strathcona County RCMP has been targeting drug dealers specifically,
and trafficking charges have increased while possession charges have
stayed the same.

Alcohol and marijuana are the most commonly abused substances.

The majority of youth, at 59 per cent, feel it's important not to use
alcohol and 86 per cent of youth feel it is important not to use
illegal drugs according to a survey of youth conducted in 2008.

Coun. Jacquie Fenske said kids need more than just a place to hang
out when preventing drug use.

"There's a 15 per cent decrease in kids finding drugs, and if it's
more difficult to obtain then that's great," she said.

There are a number of factors that contribute to risk or health
including parenting, school, social skills, services, activities,
family health, emotional and mental health, community, peers, and
coping skills. Administration said it takes a co-ordinated effort to
solve drug problems, because drug use has more than one contributing factor.

Prevention costs the least for benefits, administration stated. In
Strathcona County now the RCMP, AADAC, Family and Community Services,
the Boys and Girls Club of Strathcona county and Big Brothers Big
Sisters of Edmonton are resources available for prevention.

Early intervention is also offered with AADAC, Family and Community
Services, a youth worker with the Boys and Girls Club, and the RCMP.
Elk Island Public Schools offer disciplinary hearings in lieu of
expulsion. Administration said they have had positive results.

Treatment options include AADAC, Parents Empowering Parents, Al-Anon
and Ala-Teen, Alcoholics/Narcotics Anonymous, Alberta Mental Health
Services and Bosco Homes. Alberta Mental Health Services works with AADAC.

There are two full-time drug enforcement officers. Strathcona County
has a drug recognition expert, and access to K-Division if resources
are needed.

Administration is currently developing three strategies: integration
of mental health and AADAC, resources for temporarily homeless/couch
surfing youth, and working corroboratively with all sectors to
address root causes of substance abuse.

Coun. Jason Gariepy said the need for access to activity caught his attention.

He said when he was young, sports kept him busy, but there are
children whose parents are working, or who don't have the income.

"Has a youth centre been explored in anyway? Beaumont has a youth
centre," he said.

Administration replied that youth centres serve similar functions as
the Boys and Girls club.

According to administration, the county needs to provide youth with a
variety of services and activities. Kids often don't want to be where
adults are.

Gariepy asked if there is a correlation between drug and alcohol use
and suicide rates.

According to administration, while inhibitions are lowered, decisions
seem to be flawed, youth who commit suicide have often made the
decision beforehand. Also according to administration, the decision
to commit suicide "is deemed to be very impulsive."

Coun. Linda Osinchuk said it is important to combine enforcement with
mental health services.

She also said access to activities is more difficult for children
younger than 12.

"There is a gap in the community with under 12," she said. "How do we
capture this gap, who is this gap, this is planned to formulate. I
know you're doing an awesome job."

Fenske said children need more than just a building.

"They did some studies with youth and what they found was just a
place to hang out was not the best for youth."

She pointed to one instance where children in a group spent hours on
building their own sign-making business.

"In addition to being together and socializing they were learning
entrepreneurial skills," she said.

The socializing, she said, would come with the activity.

They spent hours and hours because they were dedicated to their
project. That was something that they found so maybe it's not just
the socializing.