ILLEGAL DRUGS POSE REAL THREAT

Another RCMP DARE program graduation in the elementary schools and a
warning again from the police about 'drug usage' among youth on the
Burin Peninsula.

Drugs with names like Percocets, Ecstasy, OxyContin, Crystal Meth and
even prescription drugs - all obtained illegally - may sound foreign
to many older people, but they're becoming a part of the regular
jargon for young people.

Another term which arose at the Jamieson Academy DARE graduation -
'The Pit'. It's an area near Pearce Junior High in Salt Pond where
youth hang out, and strange and wild things can be found strewn around
on the ground.

And then Sgt. Wayne Edgecombe of the Burin Peninsula District RCMP,
identified another familiar concern for the young people and parents
alike - alcohol. Apparently, parents are allowing their underage
children to party with alcohol!

He said there had been at least 10 such instances the police responded
to this year alone.

Cpl. Geoff Greene, a member of the Burin Customs and Excise Section
and a former DARE officer, told the youth there had been youngsters
ending up at the Burin Peninsula Health Care Centre since Christmas,
to have their stomachs pumped out because of the pills they had ingested.

This is a whole new world for many of us and it's getting to be a
scary one, especially as parents start to feel helpless when it comes
to protecting their children.

Not too many years ago, alcohol was the primary culprit for youth
wanting to party but now illegal drugs have taken centre stage. These
are not harmless drugs, as the argument was echoed over many years for
'marijuana'.

Many adults here on the peninsula may consider themselves lucky to
have raised their children safely, but now the worry is for
grandchildren.

This is a very real problem the RCMP has identified and parents need
to face. To protect our children, parents and others have to take an
pro-active role in talking with our youth, identifying the source of
the problem and to work with the policing authorities to stymie the
illegal drug trade.

If we don't step in and help, we could be mourning the death of a
young person who would otherwise have a productive and caring life.
Then there's the heartache we would suffer without our children.

This is a life and death concern! Take a stand for your child.