A STORY ABOUT DRUGS AND WHAT THEY DO

The effects of drugs and alcohol abuse was at the forefront of a
presentation and discussion at David Thompson Secondary School.

The event gave both parents and some youth in attendance the chance to
hear two presentations dealing with substance abuse. Staff Sgt. Marko
Shehovac of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment in Invermere
was on hand to talk about both the history of drugs and how they have
changed over the year.

"Right out of the gate I have to make it very clear that drugs and
tobacco are the number one case issue that we tend to have to deal
with," Shehovac said. He went on to explain how TCH levels in
marijuana have changed over the years and why it has become much more
potent.

"It may not have nicotine but it has a great deal more tar. When you
see people smoking it they hold it in their mouth and lungs much
longer. There is 50 per cent more tar and that is just one chemical
that wants to stay in your body," Marko said.

Special guest speakers on the evening were Greg and Donna Gylander
from Golden.

Before Donna talked about her daughter Jenny, Greg felt it was
important to stress that educating both parents and children about
drugs is the only way to stop children using drugs in society.

The couple explained in an emotional presentation what happened to
their daughter Jenny.

Jenny was born in 1982 and led a normal childhood according to her
mother. It was when she was in grade seven when they noticed a change
in Jenny's personality.

"We couldn't put a finger on what was causing the change but we knew
something was wrong," Donna said.

In grade eight things started getting even worse for the family. Jenny
became more secretive and started stealing from her parents. They knew
that she was using alcohol as time went on but Donna said that "in
their guts" they knew she was doing more.

Eventually it came out that she had been trying drugs and had used
cocaine in the bathroom at her school.

Her parents attempted to find out who was selling her drugs but were
unsuccessful. Jenny did graduate from high school but never got away
from the drug scene even after multiple interventions. She eventually
started dating someone and had a baby boy in 2004. The father of her
son died in a car crash in 2005 and Donna said that during the funeral
she found the pallbearers snorting cocaine.

Jenny tried again to stay clean after a time in treatment but drugs
eventually took her life on May 6, 2008.

"She tried so hard to stay clean but what I call the predators were
still around and they preyed on her," Donna said. She added that they
are telling their story to try and show people what can happen from
drug use.

The couple now is raising Jenny's son and is working towards "a better
and different future for him," Donna said.