EDSS MOVES ON TALES OF DRUG USE

A few unseemly party favours over March Break have high school
educators looking to tackle any growth in hard drug use among Elmira
youth. The circulation of cocaine and ecstasy at parties during the
holiday was brought to the attention of Elmira District Secondary
School administrators when classes resumed on Monday.

The school's activities director said there are concerns every year,
but this time the break brought things to a head.

"It was this one student who said 'look, over the March Break I was at
a couple of parties and could not believe the prevalence that these
drugs' -- cocaine and ecstasy were the two being mentioned -- 'and the
number of people who are making those bad choices,'" said Dave Conlon.

In an effort to quash the use of these and other substances among the
EDSS population, the school plans an awareness assembly for Apr. 12.
Another session, aimed at parents, will be held in the evening.

Although noting drug use is not out of hand, the school's principal
said he is aware of the ebb and flow of such substance abuse in the
area.

"The kids are absolutely fantastic, but my head isn't in the sand and
students don't have their heads in the sand," said Gary Ayre. "They
are saying it's here. Some cocaine, some ecstasy is here. Marijuana
certainly is here."

The school has been holding annual drug awareness assemblies since
there were two incidents of cocaine use at the school in 2004.

The Waterloo Region District School Board maintains a strict code of
conduct that does not tolerate the use or trafficking of illegal
drugs. Suspensions await students under the influence of illegal drugs
on school property or during school organized events.

Students are taught the dangers of drugs in physical education classes
and through class seminars with guest police officers.

WRDSB does not keep track of which schools in the board are dealing
with drug issues or how frequently the problems surface, said the
board's superintendent of instruction.

"When there is a concern, if they feel that in the last month
something has been going on in the building, what they will do is
either ask for my assistance. [For instance], about eight years ago
there was a real concern at one of the schools -- there was a
presentation that the police had at night for the parents," explained
Dianne DeCoene. "Other than that, it's the school that keeps track of
that [information]. If there is a major concern they would let me know."

Police say hard drugs have never been a problem at the institution,
but both Ayre and Waterloo Regional Police Sgt. Merv Knechtel said
they deal weekly with marijuana use.

Arye points to marijuana's influence as the reason for this particular
rise in cocaine and ecstasy.

"Pot isn't scary. Pot is almost becoming an acceptable form of
entertainment," Ayre explained. "It is a gateway drug. It leads to
other drugs.

"I think pot is being treated as a light drug and I think a lot of
students use it and try it."