DRUG ADDICTION PROBLEM IS GETTING WORSE

LANGLEY - I am writing about the increasing drug addiction problem across
Canada. I'm 25 years old, and I am an addict.

Cocaine was introduced to me by someone I loved very much, and thought they
loved me too. I was wrong. People who love you should not expose you to
such an evil hateful world.

I learned very fast the physical effects are damaging as well the
emotional. At the time, I never really knew though how much I really was
hurting myself and those who love me.

It just happened so fast, it took hold of me, my whole life. Eventually I
would learn that stopping was not a light switch I could just turn on and
off. Addiction is much, much more than that.

You can't just wake up one day and decide that you are going to quit, and
then try all by yourself to do it. It does not work that way, but boy oh
boy, we all wish it were that easy.

I am not perfect. No one is. We all have problems, and we all deal with
them -- either alone or with the help of someone.

Addiction is one devastating heart-wrenching problem that you need help
with. Professional help, to get the tools needed to survive, and the tools
to help us get back up if we should fall.

I am still working at it, and I will be forever, because even when addicts
get clean, they can fall down. And it's not like they just start from the
beginning or anything.

You start right where you left off. It's a tough road, but no one ever said
recovery was easy.

I just wanted to say to those struggling like me and to those who are just
thinking about trying cocaine: JUST SAY NO.

Stay strong, because sometimes that one time could just as easily be your
last time, your very last chance, maybe even your last breath.