By Kayla Bruch

Addictions Awareness focuses on students, gateway drugs

Nov 17, 2014 | 12:39 PM

Substance abuse will be the focus of this year’s Saskatchewan Addiction Awareness Week (SAAW) in Prince Albert.

The annual event, run by Prince Albert Addiction Awareness Committee (PAAAC) is educating only high school students, whereas last year the information sessions included adult groups.

“We decided to focus on high schools,” said Shelly Carriere, member of PAAAC. “Last year we did both adult populations and high schools and it was busy for both.”

One area of concern in the week-long campaign is alcohol, marijuana and prescription drug use.

“It’s important for our youth who are starting to experiment with prescription drugs, alcohol and pot to get all the information and hear the truth about what those substances do…and what happens when you consume them,” Carriere said.

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Looking at truths and lies about these substances is important, because Carriere said for many people these three substances are often the initiation into substance abuse or even addictions.

“We want people to understand what they’re getting into, to make informed choices and (know) the lies that are out there,” she said.

Carriere said even though she is an addictions counsellor there isn’t a way to tell which addiction is the most prevalent, when it is so person-specific.

“It really depends on the individual and their social settings and circumstances,” she said.

Carriere said there’s no guarantee they will prevent an addiction by simply speaking to these teens, but it’s possible they could help a student or their loved ones without even knowing it.

“We ultimately want to plant seeds to have people question,” she said. “There’s nothing fool-proof that says what’s going to prevent or what’s going to keep people from making the wrong choices but we do know that education is the key to healthy decisions.”

One of the resources the committee will be using over the next week is drugfreeworld.org.

PAAAC’s event is funded with help from the province of Saskatchewan, and the Saskatchewan Ministry of Health will spend a week to educating high school students.

The Prince Albert Parkland Health Region (PAPHR) will also be on site all next week.

The committee’s school schedule is as follows:

Monday 17th-PACI  from 12:05-12:50

Tuesday 18th- St. Mary from 12:20- 1:15

Wednesday 19th- Wesmor 11:45-12:25

Thursday 20th- Wonska 11:30-12:15

Friday 21st- Carlton 12:25-1:10

kbruch@panow.com

On Twitter:@KaylaBruch1