TEEN CELEBRATES NINE DRUG-FREE MONTHS

PARRY SOUND - Last week John Smith (not his real name) quietly
celebrated a milestone-with the steadfast support from family and
friends, as of April 27 John has been drug-free for nine months.

John's journey hasn't been without its struggles, but this
18-year-old says he looks forward to a life dedicated to helping
others who have been through the same ravages of drugs.

Last year, the North Star sat down with John and his mother, Jane, to
talk about his early recovery from a dangerous drug addiction.

In addition to drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana, John says that
he spent thousands of dollars to feed the habit for his drug of
choice, OxyContin.

OxyContin is a habit-forming, narcotic drug prescribed by a doctor
for the treatment of moderate to severe pain. When used in tablet
form, it is a powerful pain reliever.

Abusers often crush the tablets and inhale the powder. Its effects
are similar to heroin, and John says that it is just as addictive.

John was addicted to OxyContin for nearly a year before his family
gave him an ultimatum to either go into treatment or leave home. John
decided to go to a detox centre and has been clean ever since. Parry
Sound does not have such a treatment facility at this time.

"Since my first interview, I have been doing well, with periods of
ups and downs," said John. "I went for a three-week treatment last
October. It was difficult, but helpful."

Currently, John is completing his Grade 12 year through
correspondence as well as working at a part-time job with a co-op program.

For the last nine months, John has been receiving methadone, a
treatment for narcotic withdrawal and dependence.

While this treatment is being provided to him by a clinic in Sudbury,
he visits a pharmacy here in Parry Sound to take it.

In a drink form, methadone treatment stops withdrawal symptoms.
John's doctor says that in about six months he can start to wean off of it.

"For me, the methadone treatment has worked. I am also in a 12-Step
program and have made some really good friends. And I have a
wonderful girlfriend now," he said. 'Because of my drug use, I now
suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) and depression. I am
being treated for both.'

GAD is characterized by excessive anxiety and worry, occurring more
days than not for at least six months, about a number of events or
activities such as work or school performance.

Despite the great progress that John has made, he says it didn't come
easily and he isn't deluded into thinking his journey is over.

"My life has changed, but it didn't change on its own. It takes a lot
of hard work. It's not like when you stop using drugs everything is
rosy and everyone forgives you and you become a productive member of
society overnight. My life is still changing, physically, mentally,
emotionally, and spiritually," he said.

"I just take life day by day. I have an amazing girlfriend, and my
family respects me. Change is a slow process, my life will always be changing.

"The best part about being clean is not being a slave to a drug. No
one who hasn't been addicted can understand the desperation of having
to use all day, every day or else you will become violently sick. But
you can't just get the drugs magically, so you do a lot of bad things
to good people to get money for the drugs."

Ms Smith says she's proud of what her son has overcome and knows that
with perseverance he has a bright future ahead of him.

"We-his whole family-are very proud of the accomplishments John has
made to date and we are all sticking by him," said Ms Smith. "I want
other parents to know that this could happen in any family. Addiction
is a disease and no family is immune. I was naive about things and
did think this would never happen to us, but we have hope and faith
that things will continue to go well."

While he doesn't look too far into the future, John says that he
wants to help other addicts like himself by becoming an addiction
counsellor some day.

"I am thinking that I would like to go to college to become an
addiction counsellor, because I think it will be a job that I will
enjoy. I want to help people who had the same problems I had. I would
see a bit of me in every patient, and in turn it would help me," he said.

"With the help and support of a loving family, girlfriend and
friends, and with determination, I feel I will make it, I want to make it."

"I don't look ahead to the future. I take it one day at a time. Five
years from now is five years from now. I guess I hope that things
just work out with my girlfriend and we lead a happy drug-free lifestyle."