ANTI-ADDICTIONS WEEK STARTS

Parents worried their kids are trying drugs, families that want healthy
activities to participate in and those curious to hear more about the issue
of decriminalizing marijuana have a week all their own.

Officially starting early this afternoon with the opening ceremonies at the
Elijah Smith Building, National Addictions Awareness Week runs until
Saturday evening with a wide variety of events throughout the city.

This afternoon was to involve a March for Sobriety at the Kwanlin Dun
potlatch house from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Kwanlin Dun Wellness Centre
is hosting a three-hour open house starting at noon Tuesday.

Tuesday at 7 p.m., parents of children between seven and 13 can take in
some practical information on how to keep their kids drug-free. That
information session runs from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Gold Rush Inn
General Store.

At 7 p.m. Wednesday is a public debate and forum on the decriminalization
of marijuana, hosted at the Yukon College. Speakers are a doctor, a
recovering drug addict, a student supporting the pro-decriminalization side
and a local defence lawyer.

The Grade 9-10 Music Arts and Drama class from the Wood Street school will
present their play Choices Hunter at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Wood Street
Centre. At the Yukon Arts Centre starting at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Grades
9-10 students from Ecole Emilie Tremblay will present their play, Florilege.

Another information session for parents of children between seven and 13 on
Thursday evening at the Gold Rush Inn will focus on what drugs are out
there, what their effects are and how to tell if your child is
experimenting. That session will run from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday
afternoon, Tan Sakwathan at the Skookum Jim Friendship Centre will host two
hours of traditional hand games (stick gambling) for youth age 12 to 19.
Starting at 4 p.m., the event will also involve drumming demonstrations.

Friday afternoon, the Alcohol and Drug Secretariat will host an open house,
running from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

The wrap-up event, a family dance, will be hosted at the Kwanlin Dun
potlatch house. The dance will start at 7 p.m. and run for three hours.

Anyone needing a little extra help to get to the various activities is
asked to call Kelli Taylor at 667-3709 or the Handy Bus 24 hours in advance.