YOUTH DRUG USE CONTINUES TO BE A CONCERN

AIRDRIE ECHO -- Youth drug use has become an increasingly prevalent
problem worldwide and one which is being addressed with more drug
treatment programs for young people.

Bosco Homes is a not-for-profit charitable organization for children
and adolescents and has been operating in Alberta for 17 years.

"Addictions across the province and across the country have reached
epidemic proportions," said Gus Rozycki, the executive director of
Bosco Homes. "Kids have big addiction problems."

Approximately 30 per cent of the young people the organization treats
have addiction issues, Rozycki said, and lately there has been a
significant increase in youths using crystal meth.

In Airdrie, the youth drug problem appears to be no less or greater
than elsewhere, as far as drug charges go, Airdrie RCMP Cpl. Gregg
Pettitt said.

"It's no worse here than anywhere else," Pettitt said. "Our statistics
are pretty much the same here as anywhere."

Pettitt believes that one of the reasons drugs are not an epidemic
problem in Airdrie is because of programs which are provided through
the school system.

However, he added, there are still youths in the community who do use
drugs.

"Marijuana is the most common drug by far," Pettit said. "Some
prescription drugs get abused without getting detected, (because
people) are good at faking symptoms, but among the youth it's very
limited."

Bosco Homes offers a youth drug addiction program which lasts six to
nine months, with an option for participants to stay longer if they
wish.

"Some have serious addictions and need longer stabilization," Rozycki
said. "A (person with a) serious addiction problem can't go into a
two-month program and say. `We're done.'"

Rozycki added that drug treatment programs need to be very strict in
order for people to resist temptation to return to drugs.

"They'll tell themselves the cravings are too strong," he said.

Bosco Homes operates drug treatment programs for youths of all ages
and has programs for those affected with fetal alcohol syndrome, as
well. For more information on the organization, log onto: www.boscohomes.ca