IT'S OUT THERE

RCMP Presentation Focuses On Drug Abuse

Information presented at Lewisporte Intermediate on Dec. 3 by
Lewisporte RCMP and guest presenters shocked many parents who attended.

Corporal Ann Noel of Drug and Organized Crime Services spoke to those
in attendance on various drugs in the community and expressed
concerns relating to teenagers abusing over the counter and
prescription medications.

"The teens are gaining access to over the counter pills in stores,
homes and at school," she said. "Normally, when we think about drugs
we think about Johnny on the street corner selling a bag of marijuana
or a bunch of pills, but unfortunately the whole thing is changing.
It's our little Sarah or Johnny at home who are jumping into the
medicine cabinet."

"Pharm parties" are also becoming a growing trend and Cpl. Noel
wanted parents to know the value of locking their medicine cabinets.

"If you look at most Newfoundland homes, medicine is kept in the
bathroom in a vanity or behind a mirror on the wall and when a child
goes into a bathroom, they can lock the door behind them and do
whatever they want while they are in there," she said. "Your
children's friends can lock the door behind them and do whatever they
want, too. So, now what teens are doing is skimming a few pills off
the top of the pill bottles, going to a party with a pocket full of
pills and throwing it into a bowl that gets passed around throughout
the night. So, as they are consuming alcohol they are taking a purple
one or a blue one, until they get a different reaction.

"That is a scary, scary combination and it can be very deadly."

Cpl. Noel said this proves to be a frustrating situation for hospital
staff as well, when a teen comes to emergency and the doctors don't
know what pills they have ingested.

"When the friends finally decide to bring these kids to the hospital
after a party goes horribly wrong, the staff at the hospital doesn't
know what the teen has taken," she said. "Is it 'uppers'? Is it
'downers'? - They have no way of knowing."

Cpl. Noel is also the provincial coordinator for Drug Abuse
Resistance Education (DARE) and encourages parents and caregivers to
practice the acronym "SAFE" which includes storing or locking away
any medications, awareness of what medication and how much is within
the household, following directions from the doctor of pharmacist in
regards to dosage of each medication and educate and inform children
on the dangers of taking over the counter or prescription drugs
without the permission or supervision of an adult.

"Store all drugs under lock and key, like a liquor cabinet or up high
if you have a small child," said Cpl. Noel. "It comes down to knowing
your child and knowing your child's friends that come in and out of
the house with them.

"And talk to your children and tell them that Mom and Dad are the
only one's allowed to give them any pills."

Cpl. Noel said she hopes parents and teens understand the growing
amount of availability there is when it comes to drugs and the
dangers of consuming anything not recommended by a doctor of pharmacist.

"Our impaired driving by medicines have gone up significantly," said
Cpl. Noel. "It is amazing what we find in some people's systems and
they are behind the wheel on the same roads that you and I drive. We
have a number of RCMP officers now trained to recognize the signs on
the road, but we have to rely on the parents to recognize the signs at home."

Student drug use survey

The following survey results are based on a 2007 student drug use
survey that randomly selected classes and schools in Newfoundland and
Labrador of Grade 7, 9 and Levels I and III students. The survey
asked student's questions dealing with experiences with substance
use, gambling and associated risk behaviours. The following results
are based on the 3,848 students that responded.

FINDINGS:

- - In 2007, 41.4 per cent of students did not use alcohol, cigarettes
or any other drug in the 12 months prior. This was an increase of 36
per cent reported in 2003.

- - Alcohol, cannabis and tobacco remain the most commonly used
substances by Newfoundland and Labrador students.

- - In the survey, 52 per cent reported using alcohol at least once in
the year, while 30 per cent reported using cannabis at least once that year.

- - Five per cent reported using cocaine at least once and seven per
cent reported using ecstasy at least once that year.

- - Additionally, 30 per cent of students reported having consumed
alcohol to the point of drunkenness on at least one occasion in the
30 days prior to the survey.

- - Less then seven per cent of the students actually purchased the
alcohol themselves; 26 per cent got it from home, with or without
parental permission.

- - Average age of first time use of cannabis was 13.5 years.

- - Sixteen per cent of licensed drivers in Grade 10 and 12 reported
driving a vehicle within an hour of drinking alcohol, while 30 per
cent of licensed drivers in the same grade's reported driving within
an hour of using cannabis.

- - Seventeen per cent of students reported being passengers in a
vehicle driven by someone who had been drinking and 22 per cent have
been passengers in a vehicle driven by someone who had been using cannabis.

- - Of students who had sex during the year, 35 per cent reported that
on at least one occasion they had unplanned sex after using alcohol
or other drugs.

Information courtesy of RCMP Cpl. Ann Noel of the Drug and Organized
Crime Awareness Services, Central Newfoundland.