FORUM AIMS TO RAISE DRUG AWARENESS

"I wanted so bad to get clean," said Sarah Murray, a 19-year-old West
Vancouver resident.

Off drugs for four months and counting, Murray was speaking about her
experiences with drug addiction that began when she was in Grade 8.

Murray was one of six panellists who spoke Wednesday night at Shattering
the Myth: Youth Drug Addiction on the North Shore. More than 150 parents,
children, teachers and interested community members attended the public
information forum held at Argyle secondary.

The forum was organized by 19-year-old North Vancouver resident James
Haga, an Argyle graduate who is currently a second-year student of
Capilano College's Global Stewardship Program. The event was planned
through the Capilano Students' Union Social Justice Collective, open
to students interested in raising awareness of social issues in the
community and around the world.

Haga is an active member of the collective - his own life affected by
drug addiction. Haga's older brother died of a heroin overdose at age
20 in 2004. The forum is just one of the many initiatives Haga is
involved in. He speaks at local schools, volunteers and has a strong
interest in working with youth at risk.

The purpose of Wednesday's meeting was to raise awareness of youth
drug addiction; it focused on prevention through the presentation of
personal accounts from youth, parents and addiction workers. The forum
was intended to give the public an opportunity to ask questions and
seek advice or resources. The event also coincided with National
Addictions Awareness Week.

Murray told the audience her drug use encompassed a number of
substances, including cocaine, heroin and crystal meth. She first
tried drugs after moving from North Vancouver to Whistler. Eventually
she found herself living in downtown Vancouver.

"At that point, I just said to myself I'm going to be an addict
forever," she said. She accepted that the addict lifestyle was how she
was going to live and die. Murray describes those six years as
extremely dark. Her health was compromised, she engaged in criminal
activity, and crossed lines she never thought she would, she said.

Murray made many attempts to treat her addiction. During a few moments
of clarity, she realized she wasn't living the life she felt she was
meant to live. However, until now, her maximum length of time clean
was two months. What separates this attempt from others is her
involvement in a number of community anti-drug initiatives, as well as
the fact that this time, she sought help herself, she said. Murray has
been speaking at local schools and is a member of the newly formed
North Shore Crystal Meth Task Force.

Murray said when she first tried drugs, she thought it would allow her
to live a glamorous lifestyle. She suggested youth get educated early.

One teenage audience member spoke up and said if her mother started
talking to her about drugs, she wouldn't listen. She said she found it
far more effective to attend the evening's forum and listen to
Murray's story. She wondered if similar forums could be organized in
local schools?

"As a community, we have to make that a priority," said
Haga.

Michelle Fortin, executive director of the Watari Research
Association, dedicated to facilitating positive change in the lives of
at-risk children, youth, their families and communities, said teaching
youth early on how to be critical thinkers is imperative. She said
when speakers are brought into schools or groups they should be
brought in multiple times, and that teachers and youth workers should
attend sessions as follow-up discussion is important in ensuring
messages are received.

One mother asked how she could most effectively talk to her kids about
abstaining from drug use.

"If you speak in plain language and respectfully, then you're
modelling how you want them to speak to you," Fortin said. Fortin also
referred to an online resource, http://www.safety1st.org, a "reality-based"
approach to teens, drugs and drug education.

Carrie Lusztig, program supervisor of the North Shore's Concurrent
Disorders Program, which deals with addiction and mental health issues
simultaneously, said they offer a variety of services to parents and
youth. Youth can access the program through one of the program's four
prevention workers based in local schools or can call them directly at
their North Vancouver office at 604-983-6719 or their West Vancouver
office at 604-904-6270. As well, the program runs parenting groups and
has a resource library available.

Terry Bulych, supervisor and clinician of the North Shore's new
Adolescent Day Program, through Vancouver Coastal Health - which will
soon be up and running - provided some tips for parents. She advised
parents to keep on top of their finances, even small change. Bulych
reminded those in the audience that tensions between youth and their
parents are normal. Kids are supposed to test limits and parents are
supposed to maintain and enforce consistent boundaries.

Questions were raised about the prevalence of drug use on the North Shore,
specifically, crystal meth. Bulych referred to Healthy Youth Development:
North Shore/Coast Garibaldi Region, a study released in 2004 by the
McCreary Centre Society, a non-profit organization concerned with the
health of young people in British Columbia. The study found that in 2003,
three per cent of youth on the North Shore and four per cent of youth in
B.C. admitted to trying amphetamines Bulych said the majority of referrals
she gets are related to marijuana.

These claims were disputed by Lusztig who said many of today's drugs
have crystal meth laced in them, often unbeknownst to users. Audience
member Sgt. Sheryl Armstrong of the North Vancouver RCMP, and an
active member of the North Shore Crystal Meth Task Force, said she
supported that theory. "(Crystal meth) is a problem here," Armstrong
said.

Panellist Linda Jordan spoke about her family's experiences with
addiction after her son started secondary school in 1983. She's a
member of From Grief to Action, a non-profit society of families and
friends of drug users whose mandate is to offer services to improve
the lives of drug users and their families and friends.

"I have watched as first one drug was in the spotlight and another
took its place and another and another," Jordan said. She advocated
for a holistic approach to treating addiction.

"The name of the drug plays no role at all," she said.

Audience members asked how they could get involved in drug addiction
issues locally. "Simply ask the question," said Haga. He suggested
phoning organizations like the North Shore Task Force on Substance
Abuse. Writing MLAs was also suggested.

Haga said he was pleased with the turnout, proof of the community's
commitment to addressing addiction issues.

"This is an issue that affects every last one of us," he said."We have
to be very inclusive of the people it's affecting," Haga said. "She's
the type of person we need to start listening to," he said, in
reference to Murray.

Other speakers at the forum included Audrey Rivers, a Squamish Nation
elder.