Have you ever wondered how to talk to your children about street drugs? Do you yourself wish you knew more about the risks associated with drug use or what resources are available to you in your community?
The Sylvan Lake RCMP in partnership with Chinook’s Edge School Wellness Program invite the community of Sylvan Lake and area to attend a presentation on street drugs.
Street Drugs: Our Kids and Our Community will take place on Thursday, December 15 at Fox Run School from 6:30-7:30 p.m. in the Fine Arts Centre.
The presentation aims to promote conversations surrounding drug use and the types of drugs available to youth. Sylvan Lake RCMP School Resource Officer, Constable Michael Lee explained the presentation aims to equip parents, caregivers and community members with a common language complimenting discussions around street drugs to allow for more open lines of communication with youth.
Brad Wilson with the Chinook’s Edge School Division Family School Wellness Program explained the event stemmed from recent provincial drug trends surrounding Fentanyl. A growing community concern in Sylvan Lake and area surrounding drug use has led to an increased need for information and resources for parents.
Alberta, like many provinces, has seen a rapid rise in fentanyl-related overdose deaths over the past few years. According to Alberta Health, from January to September of this year, 338 Albertans died from an apparent drug overdose related to fentanyl or another opioid. 193 of these deaths were related to fentanyl. This compares to 205 fentanyl-related deaths during the first nine months of 2015.
The majority of deaths, 89 per cent in 2016 and 83 per cent in 2015, have occurred in larger urban centers. The rate of emergency department visits in Alberta related to opioid use and substance misuse increased by 84 per cent from the first quarter of 2014 to the second quarter of 2016. This rise in fentanyl overdoses is part of a pattern that has been seen across Canada.
“Every likes to think ‘Not our town’ but it’s happening every where in every community,” said Wilson. “We just want parents to be aware.”
Const. Lee added bringing more awareness to the community as to what type of drugs are on the streets as well as the dangers of each drugs and what could potentially happen with these drugs - particularly Fentanyl, will be the focus of the evening.
“We want to bring more awareness to the issue so parents can have better tools when talking to their kids about drugs,” explained Const. Lee. “Parents need to know how to talk to their kids about the consequences that accompany drug use when you become addicted.
”The more those lines of communication are open between parents and the kids the better.”
For more information on Street Drugs: Our Kids and Our Community contact Brad Wilson at 403 318 1372.
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