PUT AWAY YOUR GUMSHOES 85/15 MYSTERY REVEALED

Over the past weeks, the mystery of 85/15 has been the buzz around
Drumheller. Sleuths donned their gumshoes to investigate what 85/15 meant.

The mystery is solved and the results are in, the unveiling of the 85/15
campaign occurred at Drumheller's Cafe Italiano on Monday, April 11, giving
residents "the big picture."

Drumheller Composite High School (DCHS) Addictions Task Force presented the
facts, dispelling the myth that the youths in the school were using pot,
alcohol, tobacco and any other type of drug on a regular basis.

This is where 85/15 came into play. Through an anonymous survey of 390
students from grades seven through twelve at DCHS, 85 per cent of the
students do not smoke marijuana or drink on a regular basis.

The task force was formed last spring and consists of DCHS Principal Tom
Zariski, teacher and counsellor Lynn Hemming, Drumheller RCMP Corporal Matt
Lavallee, AADAC counsellors Gerry Mancini, Trina McFarlane and Cora Bolt
(who also provides on site counselling service once a week at DCHS), and a
few parents who offered input regarding the survey.

Corporal Lavallee said, "Drumheller RCMP have been working closely with the
task force for the past year. Our participation is a joint partnership, and
our goal is to create awareness and to educate on the dangers of drugs,
alcohol and smoking."

He added, "Our partnership combines the experience from many different
sources available within the community of Drumheller. I am impressed with
the results of the survey, it speaks highly of our youth and their
resistance to drug abuse."

The survey is the first intensive study conducted in 40 years with the
students at DCHS.

Hemming said, "The survey was conducted and verified by AADAC and has been
compared with the provincial and national statistics."

She added, "Included in the survey was a question built in to eliminate
students who might be 'playing around' with the survey."

The project (85/15) was funded by a government grant through AADAC of
$3,000, which was received last year and the task force has applied for the
grant for next year.

Zariski said, "We were pleasantly surprised at the results, but we are also
taking a proactive approach on the 15 per cent who are regular users. We
have zero tolerance for this behavior."

Another new addition at DCHS is the DCHS tribunal. The tribunal members
include Hemming, Michele Salvatore, Rick Lobe and Chad Pidhiachuk.

The role of the tribunal is to provide immediate assessment and
intervention for those students who are suspected to be under the influence
of either drugs or alcohol.

If it is confirmed that the student is under the influence, counselling is
provided and the student is urged to seek help.

If the tribunal has seen the student for a second time, the parents are
then involved and counselling strongly encouraged. If the student is seen
yet for a third time, they are immediately suspended until they seek
counselling and successfully complete an addiction program.

AADAC area supervisor and counsellor Gerry Mancini said, "The perception of
youths has been dispelled, the outcome of the survey shows that these kids
are not using drugs, alcohol or smoking on a regular basis."

The results/highlights of the survey showed the following:

* 85% of students do not smoke pot or drink on a regular basis (more than
once per week)

* 87% do not smoke cigarettes

* 99.8% do not use chewing tobacco on a regular basis

* 96% have never tried crystal meth

* 94% never used crack /cocaine

* 89% do not drink and drive

* 86% never used magic mushrooms

* 94% have never used ecstasy

* 96% have never used heroin or morphine

* 81% of students parents do not support pot use

* 82% of parents know where their kids are after school

* 81% of the students feel their parents understand them most of the time

* 86% of the students feel they have a good relationship with their parents.

Parents were also pleasantly surprised with the results of the survey.

Bob Davidson, parent, said, "There is definitely drug use in this town. It
was reassuring to see that 85 per cent of the students are not using and I
will have to go along with those statistics. I will continue to voice my
concerns for the drugs in this town as I am adamantly against drug use."

With all the results in, the students need to be heard. Leah Johnson,
former president of Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), and member of
student council said, "We are not drug users, dealers or alcoholics just
because we are teenagers."

"We are kids who volunteer, serve turkey to seniors of Drumheller and
babysit your kids."

She adds that these are teenagers with strengths and weaknesses, and become
the future and possibly leaders of the community. Johnson said, "We want
everyone to know that the majority rules."

In closing Lynn Hemming said, "If we can help even one student avoid a life
of addiction and the cycle that goes with it, we have succeeded."