CURTAIN RISING

The curtain has been lifted on the next act of the drug abuse amongst kids
drama. Roles are changing as various agencies attempt to upstage each other.
D.A.R.E is in danger of finding itself with smaller role as the Boys and
Girls Club weighs in with a new script.

In fairness to Executive Director Wendy Serink and her agency the new script
has much to recommend it. Serink's is the first attempt to define, and even
quantify the scope of the problem. to date assumed, problem. The B and G
Club has gone back to the kids and asked them what they are doing, a novel
approach indeed. One that is much more reasonable and intelligent then the
largely anecdotal evidence we have seen to date.

Hope is seen in the fact that The B and G Club study seems consistent with
similar research conducted by AADAC. Serink, however, appears coy about
releasing her study or its data set.

Beyond that the Club has undertaken a planning process, and will be doing
some educational things. But there is room for concern in Serink's apparent
support of the DARE program, and her lack of familiarity with the large body
of literature that calls it to task. In fairness, Serink is an able enough
politician to know that for all its short coming D.A.R.E. has considerable
support in this community.

I am coming to believe that any attempts to reduce the small amount of drug
use amongst our youth are very seriously hampered by political forces.
Certainly that has been the history. Fear, the imposition of moral precepts,
and the lack of hard data all conspire to make it very difficult to
implement effective preventative measures. That Serink's committee is
beginning by putting at least some of the stakeholders in one room and
initiating a dialogue is to their credit. What remains to be seen is what
happens. D.A.R.E.. in historical terms. is destined for a short run; you
can't fool all the people all of the time.

Will the show that follows play any better? Who knows? But there seems to be
hope in the opening lines, for the B and G club's production.

Dick Easton
Fort Saskatchewan