CONNECTION IS THE KEY TO DRUG PREVENTION

A California pediatric psychologist and substance abuse expert says
adults in Medicine Hat have the power to help drug-endangered children.

In her keynote address, which wrapped up the Medicine Hat Community
Drug Council's Community Leaders Conference at Chinook Village on
Wednesday, Canadian-born Dr. Kiti Freier of the Loma Linda University
and Children's Hospital said the best way to prevent children from
falling into a spiral of use and abuse is to ensure that they have
access to at least one adult who is "connected" -- connected to the
community, connected to their emotions and connected to the
well-being of the child.

"Keep kids busy in healthy activities with adults who have values,"
said Freier. "That is your prevention strategy."

In one of many illustrative anecdotes, Freier told the story of how
one community she worked with had an unprecedented high rate of drug
abuse among 15-to-24-year-olds. The community responded by erecting
state-of-the-art skateboard parks. "And guess where the best place in
town to buy drugs was?" Freier asked.

Healthy adults in the community need to be with kids at risk, she
said, even if it means going with the kids to the skateboard park.

"We're older, we have fragile bones but -- go break one," she urged
half-jokingly. "Get out there and be a friend. I believe it's the key
to our place in the world and the key to substance abuse prevention."

Mayor Garth Vallely attended the full-day event and agreed that the
people of Medicine Hat can accomplish such a plan.

"Can we do this as a community? Yeah," said Vallely. "But we have to
act as individuals to spread the word. I don't think we can make this
part of the Community Development Department's work because with
situations like this, you're not really helping if you're getting
paid. You can break the cycle by getting involved. All it takes is
adults with passion, with values, to volunteer."

Freier's speech was peppered with humour -- a relief from the dismal
statistics that chart the growth of the number of children in Canada
and the U.S. who are considered drug-endangered.

Children's lives can be endangered by substance abuse even before
they are born, she explained, citing examples of children born to
addicted mothers, children taken into foster care during drug raids
and children who grow up in an environment of dealing and using. She
offered a plethora of information resulting from new research and
amazed the crowd of more than 100 with her insight and compassion.

As she left Chinook Village, she applauded Medicine Hat for its
positive response to the problem of drugs in the community.

"I'm so impressed that your mayor and your deputy of law enforcement,
educators and counsellors sat here all day and showed their
commitment to the cause," she said.