Police talk focuses on drug use and what parents should look for

The War on Drugs, a popular catch phrase from the 1980s, continues to rage on.
RCMP Corporal Sam Fedyk has seen the destruction caused by substance abuse and last Wednesday spoke about the issue to an audience of concerned citizens at Osoyoos Secondary School.
Much of the information focused on the abuse of a drug called methamphetamine (meth), also known under various street names as crystal meth, ice, crank and speed. Meth falls into the category of stimulants, which also includes cocaine, ephedrine, nicotine and caffeine.
The primary affect stimulants have on the body is that they excite the central nervous system and provide a quick, temporary high or increase in energy.
Long-term use of a substance like meth can lead to a host of physical, mental and social problems and early mortality.
Malnutrition, HIV/AIDS infections, kidney damage, lung problems, stroke and psychosis are also real dangers to long-term users.
For one- to twenty-year-olds, alcohol and drug-related incidents and suicide are the leading cause of death, said Fedyk.
There's a lot of misinformation out there, along with changing attitudes and increased social acceptance of drug use.
The reality is that drug-related crimes are up and we are seeing first-time drug use beginning at an earlier age. Also, the potency of street drugs is 10 times higher than it was 20 years ago. Eighty per cent of crime is related to substance abuse. Meth use follows cannabis as the most widely used drug worldwide and is used more than cocaine and heroin combined, he said.
Fedyk said the danger of a drug like meth, which is highly addictive, is that it is cheap, easy to obtain and can be taken any number of ways: inhaled, injected, smoked, swallowed or inserted into the rectum, a practice known as hooping.rnDrug dealers use various tactics in luring youth to try a drug, from attractive packaging (cute cartoons or popular logos can be stamped onto pills) to offering free samples for kids to try. The hope is that kids will enjoy the experience and want to try it again or they will become addicted. Many addicts will then turn around and sell drugs to support their habit.
So what can a community do to help prevent substance abuse? Many parents at the event offered some good advice.
-Keep the lines of communication open with your children.
-Don't wait for them to ask a question; initiate a conversation. Be there when they want to talk.
-Pick up your kids from their friends' homes or better yet encourage them to meet with their friends in your own house.
-Establish a 'family night.'
-Don't try to be your child's 'best friend.'rn-Be an involved parent. Pay attention to what's going on your neighbourhood.
-Set rules and good examples by your own behaviour.
What message are we sending to our children when we say 'Boy, do I need a cigarette or a coffee or a drink'? asked Fedyk.
Please, if you hear something from your kids, let us know about it, said Osoyoos Secondary School principal Dave Searcy. We need to investigate stories out there. Do we have a drug problem in our school? Of course we do because we have a drug problem in our community.rnReaction from the audience about the talk was overwhelmingly positive.
It was very informative, one parent commented. The community should know about this. We are ignorant.rnWarning signs that may indicate substance abuse include the following:rn-Changes in school performance (lower grades, missing classes).
-Changes in behaviour (aggression or hostility, restlessness or unusual repetitive actions).
-Changes in appearance (sloppy, unkempt).
-Changes in eating or sleeping habits (decreased appetite or sleeping 12 or more hours a day).
-Physical evidence such as finding drug paraphernalia or strange odours.
The Osoyoos RCMP detachment can provide useful drug information and internet sites. Contact them, or check out their drug awareness service web page at www.rcmpda.com