'I WAS A SLAVE TO THE DRUG'

In the second of a three-part series on crime in Peterborough, PTW's
Todd Vandonk tells the story of one woman's 15-year struggle to beat
addiction and how her battle is now being played out with more
frequency across Peterborough.

Life was good for Connie.

Or so it appeared.

However, not even she could predict that her world was about to
change and that she would embark on "15 years of private hell."

But before 1990, before descending into more than decade-long battle
with addiction, life was so very good.

She had overcome a less-than-ideal childhood. Alongside two brothers
and a sister, she was raised in Toronto by alcoholic parents. Her
earliest childhood memories - memories she would later ty to escape
through pills - were of sexual, mental and physical abuse at the
hands of relatives.

At the age of 17 she left home, coping, on her own, with the
traumatic upbringing she endured. "As a teen I experimented with
basic drugs like marijuana and alcohol and was always gravitating
towards guys. I was promiscuous and wanted to be loved," she now says.

Despite that burden, she hid the pain and moved forward.

She graduated college, married, had children and found herself with a
cushy government job with in Toronto. She was pulling in $65,000 a year.

"It appeared to be good but I didn't see it falling apart and it bit
me from behind. It was the beginning of 15 years of private hell,"
Connie recalls.

With counselling, she later realized her downward spiral was
triggered in 1990 when she came across a past childhood abuser who
made his way back into family circles.

That's when the heavy drinking and use of harder drugs started.
Everything from her childhood started to catch up to her and, within
that year, she separated from her husband, was fired from that cushy
job and, after doctors said she suffered from post-traumatic stress
disorder, was taking anti-depressant and anti-anxiety pills.

Lynn Sones-Barnes, a team leader at Fourcast, a community addiction
treatment agency offering professional counselling services for
anyone concerned about substance use or problem gambling, says
Connie's situation is a perfect example of the clients that walk
through the doors of Fourcast.

"Often it's something in life that triggers a very painful past. What
(the drug) may first appear to relief the emotional discomfort may
develop into a dependant of the substance," explains Ms Sones-Barnes,
adding that many factors contribute to dependence.

"Dependence can occur very quickly or over a long period of time.
Biological, social and emotional vulnerabilities may contribute to
the intensity and development of the addiction."

According to Ms Sones-Barnes, when they look at addiction they use
the analogy of an iceberg. With addiction the 10 per cent above the
water is usually the behavior associated with substance abuse, such
as the actual drug use and behavior in buying the drug. The 90 per
cent below the water are all the reasons why the individual is using,
perhaps a result of past trauma, depression and anxiety.

"Unless we address what's under the water we're unable to address
specific reasons for substance abuse. Then we're not doing our job,"
explains Ms. Sones-Barnes.

In 1994 Connie was hospitalized for six months and, upon being
released, moved to Peterborough, hoping to escape her addictions.

It was the worst mistake of her life.

"I thought I would move to smaller a city and get away from
everything in the big city. It wasn't far from the city (Toronto) and
I remember driving through it (Peterborough) as a kid. It looks
really good from the outside but there's really a dark side to
Peterborough," she says.

Already on shaky ground, it didn't take her long to get mixed up with
the wrong crowd in Peterborough. Suffering from back pain she
accepted an offer that she regrets to this day.

"A lady at the bingo hall gave me an Oxy (Oxycontin) for the pain. If
I knew I was going to turn into an addict I wouldn't have went
there," explains Connie.

Taking a pill here or there quickly led her to swallowing two to
three a day and eventually to her snorting and injecting the
Oxycontin for a quicker high, bringing that euphoric feeling she craved.

"Drugs consumed my whole life and I couldn't function without them,"
says Connie.

Although in the 1990s it was not as prominent as cocaine or crack on
Peterborough streets, Oxycontin -- a part of the opioids family,
which also includes painkillers such as oxycodone, codeine, morphine,
methadone and hydromorphone -- has become a growing problem in the
region, according to Peterborough police inspector Tim Farquharson.

"Cocaine and crack have been in Peterborough for 25 and 10 years
respectively but we've noticed in the past two years is that opioids
are really taken off and popular amongst 18 to 25 year olds,"
explains Insp. Farquharson.

The recent misuse of prescription drugs prompted police, the local
health unit and the Peterborough Social Planning Council to host a
community meeting in April to explore ways to deal with the problem.

"There needs to be a better liaison between ourselves (police),
doctors, pharmacists and social service agencies. It's happening so
we have to do something about it and it has to be a proactive
approach," says Insp. Farquharson.

The problem with opioids is how readily available the drugs are.

"With a prescription they are legal to have. There are some coming
into the GTA but anybody on your street could have them in their
medical cabinets, making them relatively easy for anyone to get their
hands on," says Insp. Farquharson.

Whether it was opioids or cocaine Connie didn't have to look hard or
long to find her fix. According to her they were everywhere.

"People should be aware that drugs are not just a problem in
Peterborough's downtown core and it's not just homeless, low-life
welfare recipients using. It's local lawyers, car dealers, real
estate agents and nurses as well," recalls Connie. who was living on
welfare herself, but lost social assistance, leaving her living
abroad and searching for other means to feed her addiction.

"Within eight months I lost housing and personal belongings including
my shoes. I was living in all over -- at friends -- and tenting it in
parks," explains Connie.

According Insp. Farquharson, opioid pills sell for about $40 to $50
on the street and $100 in institutions for a 40 milligram pill, while
a 0.4 gram piece of crack sells for about the same price. The
difference is the opioid high can last for several hours compared to
about a 20 minute high from crack.

"If you have a $40-a-hit addiction and did that four-to-eight-time a
day it doesn't take long until you have a $300-a-day habit. Who can
afford that? So where are they getting their money? They sell
everything they own, scam family and friends, start stealing from
vehicles, department stores, garages, sheds, and then residents and,
on more serious level, robberies," says Insp. Farquharson, adding
that opioid addictions carry huge legal, social and health care costs
for Canada.

In Peterborough alone, 35 of the 63 robberies committed could be
directly linked to illicit drug use.

Connie wasn't guilty of committing robbery but lived a life of crime,
which included 11 convictions, ranging from false pretense, to theft
over $5,000, to possession for purpose of trafficking.

She began with running drugs. If you couldn't get your hands on
drugs, she could, but at a price that would benefit her. That being a
cut of the drug. However, that wasn't enough to keep up with her
habit, so she started signing bad cheques in her own name and
stealing prescriptions from acquaintances.

"I was feeling pretty empty and desperate. I would do almost anything
to get the drug," says Connie, which included embezzling her family,
stealing money or anything she could pawn at the pawn shop.

Despite not being proud of her past she holds great dignity in that
she never turned to prostitution.

"No, thank God," says Connie, admitting she knew dealers who were
looking for girls and would arrange meetings where sexual favours
were exchanged.

"I have seen a lot of girls get on their knees for crack. You have
high school kids that are into crack and the older guys selling don't
give a shit about them," she adds.

Identified street prostitutes has climbed each year in Peterborough
since 2004, according to Insp. Farquharson. What was once two or
three fulltime prostitutes working the streets has increased to 26 as
of last year, including one as young as 14.

"All of them have admitted to having a drug addiction and are mainly
taking prescription drugs and crack cocaine," explains Insp.
Farquharson, adding the growing number of sex workers in Peterborough
is a concern.

"It's just proof of how serious the drug problem is and highlights
the issues we're dealing with right now," he adds.

While Connie managed not to to sell her body to get the drugs she
needed, her scars prove she was both a victim and offender of
drug-related violence. She was severely beaten, and also beat others,
for unpaid debts.

"I continued to go because the addiction was so strong and you
believe you deserve it. Looking back it was real hatred of myself.
The drug controlled me and I was a slave to the drug," says Connie,
who flirted with death on eight occasions.

"Once it (overdose) was so severe I had to be on respirator and was
in the hospital for two weeks. When I was released from the hospital
I was getting high within an hour," she adds.

This wasn't uncommon for addicts remembers Connie.

"People would die in the house and as soon as we revived them they
would wake up and take a hit," says Connie.

Insp. Farquharson says a recent business case study regarding the
drug problem in the city shows deaths contributed to overdoses --
including accidental, suicide or undetermined -- are on the rise in
Peterborough. In 2006 there were 13 and in 2007 there were 20.
According to the study, the numbers for 2008 are projected to be on
par with 2007.

In an effort not to become another statistic, Connie turned to
Peterborough's methadone clinic for a second time. In her early days
in Peterborough she reached out to the clinic but found it
uncomfortable, like she had a huge neon sign on her forehead saying
she was a low-life addict. In between her first and second visit to
the clinic, she tried detox four different times and seeked
counselling at Fourcast.

"At Fourcast you would meet up with other people that were using and
after counselling we'd go out and get high. So it was sort of like
the blind meeting the blind," explains Connie.

Fourcast's Ms Sones-Barnes does not disagree.

"This does occur with a group," she says, specifically about
Fopurcast's Option Program, which sees criminals fulfill their
probation in a three educational sessions, intended to assist them in
making more informed decisions.

"What they need to know is that any client that would like further
individual counselling is encouraged to set up an appointment
immediately," adds Ms Sones-Barnes.

Like her previous six attempts at becoming clean, Connie's second go
at the methadone clinic was a failure. She continued to use opiates
and relapsed after six months in the program.

"It wasn't well supervised and you could get away with a lot.
However, it's really useful for people following the program," explains Connie.

By now it was clear that it would take her hitting rock bottom if she
had any hope of changing her life. Rock bottom ended up being jail
time for possession of drugs. After finishing what was her third
stint behind bars, she left town to live with relatives.

"I went cold turkey at a relative's house and went in the fetal
position. I was sweating and having uncontrollable bowel movements.
You shit yourself, you puke and think you are dying," says Connie.

"I think I felt degraded. When I looked at myself in the mirror it
was awakening. People were dying around me here in Peterborough and
three girls I know in Toronto died from overdoses.

Connie has been clean for almost three years. She is living back in
Peteborough and working part time.

"It's going really good. The sky is the limit and I am looking into
getting remarried. I had to lose everything in my life -- my
marriage, family, house, my life -- through overdoses and jail for me
to finally see the light. It's nice to have my own little place and
to be able to keep housing," says Connie, adding that she can now
talk with her ex-husband and children.

"I am getting my credibility and respect back from family and feel
good about myself for the first time in 17 years."

Counselling has helped her to use drugs to alienate and numb the pain
from physical, sexual, and emotional abuse as a child.

According to her more intervention, prevention, and educational
programs are needed in the schools.

"I would have known better and never have gone there," she says,
offering an important piece of advice.

"If anything, if you're living in a world of abuse do something about
it now. Turning to drugs is like playing Russian roulette, like
holding a gun to your head. It could be fun one time but you could be
laying on the floor doing the funky chicken the next," says Connie.

[sidebar]

Interesting facts

- - In 2006 there was more than $27,000 dollars in cocaine seized in
Peterborough and more than $2,000 in prescription opiates seized.
There were 125 persons charged with drug related offences. In 2007
there was more than $220,000 dollars in cocaine seized and more than
$19,000 dollars in prescription opiates seized in the city. There
were 291 persons charged with drug-related offences in 2007. In 2008
there was more than $640,000 dollars in cocaine seized and over
$24,000 dollars in prescription opiates seized. There were 209
persons charged with drug-related offences. There has been a dramatic
rise in the seizures of the "hard" drugs over the past three years in the City.

- - Until recently, Peterborough has had one officer assigned to the
Drug Unit. The following are Drug Unit staffing of other police
services dealing with similar population:

Belleville Police Service: 2 Constables and 1 Sergeant

Barrie Police Service: 3 Constables and 1 Sergeant

Cornwall Police Service: 3 Constables and 1 Sergeant

Guelph Police Service: 4 Constables and 1 Sergeant

Kingston Police Service: 5 Constables and 1 Sergeant

- - The only heroine seizure in 2008 was from a subject not arrested
for a drug offence but found in possession of 1.5 grams. This a proof
that heroine hasn't been a major problem in the City for the last 15
years according to Insp. Farquharson. However, bigger centres are
seeing heroine make a comeback, and it's just a matter of time before
it filter into smaller communities like Peterborough.

- - Drugs seizures and street value.

2008 First Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine: 4990.87 grams

Crack: 60.60 grams

Marijuana: 7764.48 grams

Marihuana plants: 177

Hash: 6 grams

Ketamine: 0 grams

Mushrooms: 12 grams

Ecstasy pills: 138

Dilaudid pills: 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills: 150

Percocet pills: 92

Miscellaneous pills: 239

Total number of persons charged 51

Value

Cocaine seizures: $548,995.70

Crack seizures: $6,060

Marijuana $116, 467.20 value

Marijuana plants: $177,000

Hash: $120

Ketamine: 0

Mushrooms: $180

Ecstasy: $3,450

Dilaudid: 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone: $6,000

Percocet: $1,840

Miscellaneous: $1,912

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: knives, guns and rifles.

- - 2008 Second Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine: 520.24 grams

Crack: 28.2 grams

Marijuana: 1033.49 grams

Marihuana plants: 310

Hash: 23.40 grams

Ketamine: 0 grams

Mushrooms: 0 grams

Ecstasy pills: 0

Dilaudid pills: 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills: 63

Percocet pills: 27

Miscellaneous pills: 2

Total number of persons charged 55

Value

Cocaine seizures: $57,226.40

Crack seizures: $2,802.00

Marijuana: $15,502.35

Marijuana plants: $310,000.00

Hash: $468

Ketamine: 0

Mushrooms: 0

Ecstasy: 0

Dilaudid: 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone: $2,520

Percocet: $540

Miscellaneous: $16

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: knives, sword, bat and a pipe.

- - 2008 Third Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine 70.18 grams

Crack 0 grams

Marihuana 6690.32 grams

Marihuana Plants 1

Hash 47.37 grams

Ketamine 0 grams

Mushrooms 2268.50 grams

Ecstasy pills 40

Dilaudid pills 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills 114

Percocet pills 0

Miscellaneous pills 145

Total number of persons charged 61

Cocaine seizures $7,719.00 value

Crack seizures 0 value

Marihuana $100,354.80 value

Marihuana Plants $1,000.00 value

Hash $947.40 value

Ketamine 0

Mushrooms $34,012.50 value

Ecstasy $1,000.00 value

Dilaudid 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone $560.00 value

Percocet 0 value

Miscellaneous $1,160.00 value

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: knives, pellet guns and brass knuckles.

2008 Fourth Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine 24.42 grams

Crack 83.33 grams

Marihuana 384.54 grams

Marihuana Plants 0

Hash 68.75 grams

Ketamine 0 grams

Mushrooms 0 grams

Ecstasy pills 26

Dilaudid pills 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills 128

Percocet pills 14

Miscellaneous pills 190

Total number of persons charged 42

Cocaine seizures $2,686.20 value

Crack seizures $8,333.00 value

Marihuana $5,768.00 value

Marihuana Plants 0 value

Hash $1,375.00 value

Ketamine 0

Mushrooms 0 value

Ecstasy $650.00 value

Dilaudid 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone $5,120.00 value

Percocet $280.00 value

Miscellaneous $1,520.00 value

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: wooden rail/post and cross bow.

2009 First Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine 107.80 grams

Crack 7.00 grams

Marihuana 1844.54 grams

Marihuana Plants 519

Hash 1557.10 grams

Ketamine 0 grams

Mushrooms 2 grams

Ecstasy pills 37

Dilaudid pills 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills 31

Percocet pills 0

Miscellaneous pills 83

Total number of persons charged 57

Cocaine seizures $11,858.00 value

Crack seizures $700.00 value

Marihuana $27,668.10 value

Marihuana Plants $519,000.000 value

Hash $31,142.00 value

Ketamine 0

Mushrooms $30.00 value

Ecstasy $925.00 value

Dilaudid 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone $1,240.00 value

Percocet 0 value

Miscellaneous $664.00 value

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: Knives, ammunition, guns and a rifle.

2009 Second Quarter

Drug seizures

Cocaine 1.20 grams

Crack 55.40 grams

Marihuana 2594.00 grams

Marihuana Plants 214

Hash 3.60 grams

Ketamine 0 grams

Mushrooms 4.70 grams

Ecstasy pills 182

Dilaudid pills 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone pills 17

Percocet pills 40

Miscellaneous pills 228

Total number of persons charged 39

Cocaine seizures $132.00 value

Crack seizures $5,540.00 value

Marihuana $38,910.00 value

Marihuana Plants $214,000.00 value

Hash $72.00 value

Ketamine 0

Mushrooms 0 value

Ecstasy $4,625.00 value

Dilaudid 0

Oxycontin/oxycodone $680.00 value

Percocet $800.00 value

Miscellaneous $1,824.00 value

Variety of weapons seized by officers in relation to the drug
seizures included: Knives, ammunition, bats, brass knuckles and a gun