POLICE SAY, "IT'S NOT LITTLE QUIET ALTONA ANYMORE."

Parents were given an earful about drug addiction at a recent
information night at miller

W.C. Miller held an information night to mark Manitoba Addictions
Awareness Week. Principal Jonathan Toews said the main reason for the
meeting was to provide parents with practical information on how to
steer their kids away from drugs.

A small group of parents and administrators gathered in the school
cafeteria for the informal discussion, which included a few guest speakers.

School counsellor Warren Friesen affirmed the concept of the village
raising the child. "Leaving a parent alone with a kid that's on drugs
isn't what a community is about," he said. Friesen said a popular
misconception is that if your kids are using drugs, that means you're
a bad parent.

"I tell parents that kids make their own choices. The main challenge
is how do we get them to care?" He added that it's important to have
what he calls preventative conversations with your kids. "We can't do
everything right, but we can have an influence."

Altona Police chief Perry Batchelor brought a display case featuring
a number of drugs and paraphernalia that were seized right in Altona.
He said any of mainstream drugs featured there can be attained locally.

He also said they're seeing more prescription drug abuse. "Kids talk
about something called a farm party, and it took me a while to figure
out it was a party where everybody is using pharmaceuticals," Batchelor said.

Drugs like Ritalin, Percocet or Oxycontin have a high street value,
and he said some are being sold right in Altona. He urged parents to
keep their medication under lock and key.

A mother from Morris shared her experiences with an addicted son. She
said things finally started to improve when she started setting
boundaries and taking her life back.

"The main thing is, you have to be consistent. Yes, it's an
inconvenience to your life, but if you love your kids, you'll do it."

She said she made it clear that any consequences, such as being
locked out of the house, were her son's choice, and that he could
always choose to change them.

Sgt. Mike Turnbull of the Altona Police said it's often denial and
shame that keep people from admitting their kid is on drugs.

"It's not a reflection of who you are as a parent," he said, noting
that even a member of his own family deals with addiction.

Turnbull said the notion that things like that don't happen in a
small town also keeps people from dealing with it. "We found pot,
meth, cocaine and prescription drug abuse, all in the last week. It's
not little quiet Altona anymore."

Steve Unger, a former Altona resident who now works at Macdonald
Youth Services in Winnipeg spoke about his battle with drug use and
depression. "I'm the guy everybody doesn't want their kid to turn out
like," he quipped.

Unger's depression led to heavy drinking in high school, as well as
using LSD and hash.

"I used the coke and booze to keep me from feeling anything," he
said. Ultimately, after two suicide attempts, it was a confrontation
with a friend that opened his eyes.

Unger has been clean for four years now, and admits it wasn't an easy
road, particularly when he knew any substance he craved was just a
few phone calls away. He's since found treatment for his depression
and has chosen a different path.

He now counsels other addicts, and encourages parents to take a
stand. "Kids these days have way too much control. If there's any
question at all, go through your kid's room, check their backpack," he said.

"As far as I'm concerned, the only time they have a right to lock
their door is if they're 18 and living in their own home," he said.

"And if you do find something, talk to them about it in a
non-confrontational way. They may still make bad choices, but the
best you can do, is the best you can do."