STUDENTS LEARN REALITIES OF DRUG ABUSE

There's nothing like learning from someone who's "been there" and
"done that."

Grade 7/8 students in Mine Centre, Atikokan, and from J. W. Walker
School here heard from two men on Friday--including one who used to
be a drug user and a drug dealer.

Don Young, program manager with Superior Points Harm Production
program in Thunder Bay, reflected on some of the lower points of his
life in order to show the students the harm drugs cause.

"I've been in jail, lived in an abandoned truck, and have attempted
suicide," recalled the pierced and tattooed man, adding he also has
some brain and nerve damage because of his past lifestyle.

"I don't want to frighten or alarm you, but to tell you the truth,"
Young stressed.

Brian Brattengeier, with the Thunder Bay OPP Tri-force Unit, also
offered his thoughts to the students.

"We're here to be honest with you and talk openly about a problem we
see in your community," Brattengeier remarked, noting he wants to get
the information out there so students make the right choices.

The pair began their presentation by asking the students what a drug
is--any substance that alters the mind or body state.

Therefore, they explained, chocolate and coffee are both considered
drugs.

"You feel better when you eat chocolate . . . and your parents
probably get cranky if they don't have their coffee, right?" Young
remarked.

Then they asked the students a series of questions and had the
youngsters respond by raising their hands.

"How many of you have seen someone your age smoke?" Brattengeier
asked and the majority of hands shot up in the air.

They continued by asking if they have seen someone their age take
pills, drink alcohol, smoke pot, eat "magic" mushrooms, take acid, or
take drugs with a needle.

At least one hand went up in response to every question.

"You're not unlike any other group in the province," Brattengeier
indicated, noting his brother was a cocaine addict at 12 years of
age.

Young said he made the choice to start taking drugs at
13.

"You have to make choices that will impact the rest of your life," he
noted. "When I started taking drugs, I gave up my choices and options."

He described how, as a drug dealer, he would target students in their
early to mid-teens in order to get hem hooked and make money.

"We would give them free dope--we called it investing," he explained.
"You thought I was your friend, but really you were my victim. You
were just money to us."

The pair stressed they don't want kids taking drugs, but added they
will have a choice to make.

The students were showed pictures of how people looked just years
after using drugs, as well as told them of the many risks and dangers.

They noted the most addictive drug is nicotine, as well as adding
that drugs are a problem in Rainy River District.

"Peer pressure is a big challenge you face," Young said. "But I now
have enough respect and dignity to not take anyone's [b.s.] Don't buy
into the peer pressure--be the best you can be."

He explained some kids think if they start drugs, they can just get
help later by going into treatment.

"After one year of treatment, only 30 percent are clean," he warned.
"Treatment doesn't rescue everyone."

Young also stressed it's important to start looking after each other
in society.

"Because if we don't, who will?" he asked. "You are the generation
that can do so much change."

Brattengeier questioned the students as to whether they thought Young
would have made the choice to start taking drugs if he knew the
consequences.

They all said "no."

"We always hope we get the message across," he said following the
presentation at Walker. "It's their choice, but we want them to make
informed decisions and know what they are doing. . . .

"If we just stood up here and said 'Don't do drugs,' I don't think it
would be as effective."

Hugh Dennis, co-ordinator of the Rainy River District Substance Abuse
Prevention Team, which brought in the speakers, said he feels drugs
are a very important issue to address.

"It's scary to see kids of that age raising their hands to those
questions," he said, adding he saw Brattengeier and Young speak at
the Mayor's Summit on Drug Abuse in Dryden a few months ago.

"I thought they'd be able to get the message out throughout the
district," Dennis said.