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These aren’t your parents’ drugs

Drug use among youth is nothing new, but what is new are the types of drugs that are becoming more and more prevalent.
Vaping
Teens see vaping as a trendy thing and believe it’s safer than smoking.

Drug use among youth is nothing new, but what is new are the types of drugs that are becoming more and more prevalent.

It’s no longer sneaking off to the back school parking lot for a drink or to smoke a joint, it’s vaping pens, illegal marijuana edibles and fake pills tainted with fentanyl.

The Delta School District, Delta Police Department, Fraser Health and others are working collectively to combat the growing problem and say that education – for everyone from students to parents to community members – is key.

“Throughout 2018, Delta police officers, Delta firefighters and paramedics continued to respond to numerous overdoses, and the issue is prevalent enough in younger populations that we felt it was necessary to work with the Delta School District and send a warning home to parents,” said DPD Chief Neil Dubord in a recent Optimist column.

“Accepting that there are drugs in our schools is tough, but it helps all service providers understand the risks that our students face. Our school liaison officers and other police officers are delivering a daily message about drug consumption and the associated dangers.”

On the front line

Const. Mike Atkinson is one of six Delta police school liaison officers that work with all Delta schools.

“We will come into elementary schools and talk to the students about choices around drugs and alcohol. Moving into high school this year, we did a presentation to all Grade 8 classes around the risks of fentanyl and the opioid epidemic and then with other presentations we meet and talk with parents so everyone is getting a consistent message.”

Atkinson said vaping and edibles are becoming more frequent amongst youth.

“There is a definite increase in students from 12 to 18 that are utilizing vapes,” he said. “I think a lot of it is misinformation. Kids think it is less of a health risk than smoking, but they are not sure what the actual risks are.”

Atkinson said it all comes down to choices.

“We want youth to make an informed choice and there is a lot of conflicting information that is around from companies that are making money off these products and they will present information in a certain manner because they want to sell products,” he said.

“For us, we’re taking a different approach. We are not just saying no, we are trying to provide accurate information whether it is from a health professional or a legal outlook as far as the potential consequences. So having a message to students is important. Having a message to parents is important and sharing the message through media like you to the broad community is an effective three-pronged approach.”

Educating parents

Const. Derek Gallamore was shocked when officers busted a woman allegedly selling weed-laced brownies with 40 times the recommended single dose of THC.

The sugary treat looked identical to a regular grocery store confection, but packed a punch with more than 400 milligrams of THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.

Though cannabis was legalized last October, edibles will not be legal until sometime this year, but that’s of little concern to entrepreneurs who are cooking up pot-infused candies, cookies and energy drinks that could see youth unknowingly ingest harmful substances.

“When I started doing my research, the biggest danger of consuming an edible orally is that it takes a lot longer for it to go through the digestive system,” said Gallamore. “It could take anywhere to two hours to feel the effects of it, so the problem with kids when they smoke marijuana or they vape, they get an instant high and with the edibles they don’t feel anything right away, so they are consuming more and that’s where the risk of almost coming to a poisoning.”

These factors prompted Gallamore to reach out to the Delta School District to host a series of parent information nights, the latest being at Delta Secondary in Ladner last Wednesday evening.

During that presentation, which also included representatives from Fraser Health, Gallamore showed slides of a number of common products – brownies, Rice Krispie treats, candies, even peanut butter and jam products – all laced with higher levels of THC that could be harmful.

He said many of the products and packaging are being marketed towards kids.

“There was a girl on Vancouver Island in October that was poisoned because she ingested far too much,” he said. “Many of these products, even though illegal in Canada, can be sourced off the internet and bought through an Interact e-transfer. We just want parents to be aware that these products are out there and to have these conversations with your kids about the potential dangers of these products. You just can’t go and ingest a 50 to 100 mg THC bar as a kid and expect that there won’t be consequences.”

Gallamore said it’s all about creating a dialogue with your kids.

“The edibles are not being produced in a regulated facility,” he said. “My concern is where they are being produced and if there are any other drugs, are they being cross-contaminated? You just don’t know. The main focus was to let you know that these are being produced and that your kids could get access to them and if you do buy them yourself, keep them secure and make sure your kids don’t have access to them.”

Vaping on the rise

Gallamore said vaping continues to be a growing trend in local schools.

“The schools are seeing a huge increase,” he said. “I think it is almost comparable to the ’50s and ’60s with smoking. Kids now see it as a trendy, cool thing to do. It is glamourized in the media. It is seen as a safer alternative to smoking, which I don’t think we know yet. In 20 years from now, in my opinion, you will see the outcome of it like we did with cigarettes, so that’s what the difference is going to be.”

He said he doesn’t think kids and parents truly know the consequences of vaping, and with vaping pens getting increasingly discreet, it’s getting more and more challenging to see who’s using what.

“My concern is when organized crime takes a look at the vaping vestibule to kids – you look at fentanyl, heroin and cocaine – as soon as they figure out how to vape it, think about how many billions of dollars are going to be into that,” he said. “Science is helping this. It’s becoming very discreet. That’s the message, these are the concerns, this is what is out there. My daughter sees it in the schools and she’s in Grade 8. It’s scary.”

Education is the key

Superintendent Brad Bauman said the Delta School District continues to work with the police department to educate staff, students and parents on making smart, responsible decisions and on the dangers these drugs possess.

“It’s across the board. It’s not new that we are dealing with substance use issues in schools, but what is changing for us and why this is important to begin to talk about this in different ways,” said Bauman. “Our concerns are the products they are consuming are not safe and they are in different forms than they used to be and they are unaware of what they are taking.

“We are not hear to fear monger, we are here to provide good information so you can have these discussions with your children. We want to teach our kids and educate them about healthy choices and if they are making choices that could put them at risk, we want to educate parents, teachers and counsellors.”

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