RCMP inform parents about local drug problems
About 25 concerned parents attended a two-hour information session at Nose Creek Valley Museum in Airdrie to hear about the state of drugs in schools, Jan. 17.
RCMP Const. Dave Henry serves in Bert Church and George McDougall high schools and walked parents through a Powerpoint presentation that left them gasping at times.
“They deal in school and they bring it to school,” said Henry of drugs, specifically marijuana. “Kids are taking it because the media is glorifying it.”
Henry said a contributing factor is the fact that some parents are smoking the drug as well, making it more acceptable for teens.
He told parents of a case where an Airdrie teen babysat a woman’s children and was paid in pot.
Other drugs Henry focused on included ecstasy and MDMA, a substance he sees popping up in Airdrie schools.
Tablets generally include some amount of rat poison or Drano since it helps bring down production costs for drug makers from 52 cents to about three cents per pill.
“If you take it once, you can trip out at any point in your life,” he told parents.
Sharon Cirankewitch, an addictions counsellor at the high schools, spoke about parenting methods for teens, the adolescent brain and how to speak to young people about drug abuse.
“We don’t want to criticize our kids for their choices, we want to work through it,” she said. “It shouldn’t be a punitive experience.”
Cirankewitch said it’s better to listen than condemn since an aggressive stance forces a teen to defend their choices. By audibly defending drug use to a parent, they are effectively justifying their behaviour, she added.
“Parental monitoring is No. 1,” she said.
Cirankewitch suggested parents have meals with their children and make time for them individually.
Shona Barnes attended the presentation for a general education on the drug situation in Airdrie schools and said she was unaware acid use was so prevalent.
“I thought crystal meth would have (been more prevalent),” said the mother of two boys, ages 16 and 19.
“I thought their tips for reconnecting with teens were very good.”
She said her approach to parenting is to be “more of a friend” than a “rule-making mongrel.”
Parents Kelly and Bruce Hansen said they simply wanted to be informed to help them raise their children, a 16-year-old boy and 13-year-old girl.
“It’s very important for us to have our meal times together,” said Bruce, in reference to Cirankewitch’s parenting tip.
“We try to do as much as we can. Our kids are good.”
Henry said only a small percentage of kids are slipping through the cracks.
“Ninety-five per cent of youth are amazing,” he said.
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