VIDEO TARGETS TEENS

High School Confidential Offers Reality Check

Briana holds nothing back as she speaks out against drug and alcohol
use in a video making its way across Fraser Health Authority.

Anger simmering under the surface escapes in a stream of tears down
her cheeks. Her voice is raw with emotion as she shares some of the
horrors she's seen -- girls raped, family and friends drop dead,
babies born addicted to heroin.

"You can't imagine how those kids, they just have no chance in life,"
she says, her voice breaking.

"I've seen so many people just drop like flies."

Cut to a clip of Langley Fine Arts students belting out Sugar Train a cappella.

Heather is one of more than a dozen students in the choir, proud of
the fact she's also teaching herself guitar. She's never tried drugs
and doesn't plan to.

There's just too much at stake.

"It follows you. You'll never live it down if you do something
stupid. You lose your credibility," she said.

Over to Matt, who's in fine form as he practices boxing moves on a
red punching bag. When he's stressed, he chooses physical activity
over drugs or alcohol. He's made it clear to his friends drugs aren't
part of his program.

"If you just stand up in the beginning, your friends are going to
respect that," he says.

"The future I want to do, what I want to do in the future, does not
include drugs."

It's straight talk Kevin Letourneau hopes will hit home.

The Peace Arch Community Services addictions manager is co-producer
of High School Confidential, a drug prevention video with a unique
twist -- the views of youth who've chosen not to do drugs, and why.

They're intermingled with insights from teens who've tried drugs and
alcohol, and what impacts those choices made on their lives.

"It set me back," a pregnant Rachelle says of her ecstasy habit.

"It's not worth it."

For Amber, 13, getting drunk lead to a bout of antibiotics -- after
contracting chlamydia from an unprotected one-night stand.

"Alcohol makes you stupid," she says.

Two hundred copies of the 25-minute DVD were released across the
Fraser Health Authority this week. It's already been shown in some
Peninsula classrooms.

It's hoped the hard-hitting message will reduce substance use and
abuse among youth, and encourage them to find healthy ways of
managing stress. Also, to impress that it is cool to be drug-free.

"It gives us faith in the future of mankind to see these youth out
there -- they care about what their parents think, they care about
their future," Letourneau said.

He commended participants for their openness and honesty.

"It does take a special kind of kid to stick their neck out," he said.

The video is the third Letourneau's helped produce, with funding from
an FHA Addictions Prevention grant. Death by Jib and Cold as Ice
focused on crystal meth.

FHA's addictions leader, Dr. Akbar Bayanzadeh, expects High School
Confidential will be a powerful tool in influencing youths' attitudes
towards drug and alcohol use. Information and guidance can go a long
way to empowering good choices, he said.

For more information on High School Confidential, Kevin Letourneau
may be reached at 604-538-2522, ext. 233.

Or e-mail him at kevin@pacsbc.org