ILLICIT DRUG HABITS LEAD TO IRREVERSIBLE SPIRAL

Councillor's comment

Sherwood Park News - Over the last year I was privileged to be the council
representative on a task force on Community Drug and Alcohol Strategies
along with 15 other representatives from nine communities across Canada.

This initiative was sponsored by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
(FCM). They provided a small amount of funding in order for us to develop
the FCM Model Municipal Drug Strategy.

We first met in Ottawa to outline our work over the subsequent year. We then
returned to our communities to involve a cross-section of other community
members and groups and were charged with bringing forward our completed
document.

The 16 local groups and agencies involved were very committed. Discussions
included illicit drugs, alcohol, prescription use and abuse, and covered all
age groups. My column will focus on illegal drugs.

This committed group never faltered and after our report was released each
representative agreed to continue this initiative over the next year. The
challenge was how to keep this sustainable. At the heart of this would be
the reduction and prevention of abuse and use of substances harmful to
people's well being, particularly to our youth.

Our second meeting was held in Richmond and it was only then the full
impact, and in particular the devastation of substance abuse, really hit
home. One poor choice can result in young people being driven to
prostitution and other adverse lifestyles to support their habits; young
people begging on street corners; overdoses; or mental illness. When a
choice to use illicit substances is made, the user often exposes themselves
to other threats such as Hepatitis B and AIDS. It is also not uncommon for
the user to move to a life of crime in order to support their habit; often
finding themselves in the company of people of questionable character. This
can be the start of an irreversible descending spiral.

Certainly usage of substances like crystal meth, which is at epidemic
proportions in the U.S., is also on the rise here. This particular substance
becomes addictive very quickly.

Our community agencies and families still have a chance to intervene to
avoid the devastation which I have seen in so many other communities. The
success of our municipality may allow us to receive more support toward
these efforts.

Recently the Federal Government has looked at decriminalizing the possession
of less than 15 grams of marijuana (25 joints). That is a large amount.
Where does this substance come from? Who knows what may be combined with the
substance. Recently a survey was released indicating that our youth are
choosing marijuana over cigarettes. It has been suggested that support by
the government of this new legislation might secure the youth vote. I hope
this is not so. The Association of Professional Policeman went on record as
being opposed to the new federal legislation.

While many municipalities are in the process of discussing smoking bylaws
and health effects, no one has mentioned the health impacts of these illegal
substances. Many of you came out en masse to ban cigarettes -- what's the
difference?

It will take the community working together as a whole to call a halt and to
deal with this negative issue impacting our children, families and
community. We must take our heads out of the sand and face the fact that we
have a problem.

Please take the time to contact your MP and others and object to the changes
proposed. It is with a united front, community and professionals alike, that
we must take a stand. Make a strong statement that any use of drugs is not
OK.