KEEPING YOUR KIDS DRUG FREE FORUM SET FOR JANUARY 30

The Drug Response Task Force (DRTF) is inviting parents in Battle River
regional communities to attend an evening forum aimed at keeping youth off
drugs.

Scheduled for January 30 at the Camrose Composite High School commons area,
at 7:00 p.m., the forum, titled, "Keeping Your Kids Drug Free", will
include representatives from various social agencies who will lend their
expertise to the topic.

"The intent of the forum is to provide parents with the tools they need to
reduce the chance that their child(ren) will get involved with illegal
street drugs," said DRTF chairman Kerry Laberge. "I encourage parents with
children of any age to attend; it's never too early or too late to start
talking to your kids about the dangerous effects illegal narcotics can have
on their lives."

The DRTF, created last October in response to the City of Camrose Social
Needs Assessment Study, has made significant strides in the battle against
drugs in the community. The Camrose Police Service and AADAC have both
reported encouraging results on the Crystal Meth front. Laberge, however,
warned that the successes achieved in enforcement and community awareness
can lead to a false sense of security.

"It's critical that we remain focused on our mandate and not assume that
just because we've had an impact on the Crystal Meth market our work is
done," he said. "Today it's Crystal Meth, but tomorrow, next week or next
month we could see a new illegal street drug flood the market. We have to
view our mandate like an addiction and resist the urge to let our guard down."

"It's like boxing, even though you're ahead on the scorecard, if you assume
you've won the fight, that's when you open yourself up for a knockout," he
adds. "Make no mistake; we're in a fight here, a fight to save our youth
from the perils of Crystal Meth and other dangerous narcotics."

For more information, contact Kerry Laberge at 672-2205 or 672-6131 or
e-mail: klaberge@ brrd.ab.ca