PILOT DRUG-REHAB PROGRAM FOR YOUTH RETOOLS

A pilot project aimed at helping youths kick crystal meth and cocaine
addiction is retooling as it prepares for a second session.

Bob Hughes, a youth addictions counseller with the Phoenix Centre's Raven
Program, said Sunday that the first six-week session of Meth Kickers ended
just before Christmas.

While five of the seven youths are no longer using meth, there was a clear
indication of how the program needed to change before it begins a second
session Feb. 15, he said.

"What didn't work is that we had kids saying they wanted to quit as they
began the detox process. When the bulk of them hit the prep group they still
had their pipes and other drug paraphernalia," he said.

"I had one kid saying to me that he wanted to quit (meth) but didn't know
how. He asked me to show him how to quit."

The first session of Meth Kickers worked in two phases. Following a five-day
detox, participants were put through a two-week preparation group where they
were monitored and supported in making sure they had plenty of rest and
healthy food.

Participants then entered a four-week "action group," where they met twice a
week and worked on replacing addiction with employment, school and new
relationships.

As each phase was successfully completed, participants were rewarded with
electronic goods, or movie and dinner passes.

The next session will begin with the preparation group, where youths are
weaned off drugs, Hughes said. By the time the two weeks is up, the subjects
should be ready to enter detox.

"We're going to allow them to keep using prior to detox. After two weeks we
will enter five days of detox followed by four weeks of therapy," he said.

The program will continue to tolerate alcohol and marijuana use as long as
it doesn't replace meth or cocaine use, he said.

"Our belief is that if they are successful with beating their crystal meth
addiction they will want to tackle their marijuana use.

"We replace the drug use with something healthy. People use drugs to fill a
void. When you take the drug away you need to fill that void," he said.

Of the five youths who were able to kick their habit, only one had a
relapse.

"We had our most recent use Jan. 15," he said.

"One of our successes will be staying on as a consultant. We will be on the
outside, he can be on the inside. He can tell us what works and what
doesn't."