In the rural and smaller cities, drugs such cocaine, methamphetamine and marijuana are amongst the most popular drugs used. Alcohol stays the most popular “drug” abused probably due to the fact it is legal and it is often associated and promoted in the special events such as sports, festival etc. Even though there are more laws on the publicity of alcohol. A lot of major events are sponsored by alcohol companies.  The cultivation of marijuana in the rural section is very active. There are several reports that confirm that it becomes an alarming situation mainly due to the fact that B.C is a large territory to cover by the authorities. The cultivation of marijuana is a business of more than 7 billion per year. It can easily be exported the U.S.

The situation in the major cities is different and there is more diversity of drugs in the black market. Heroin remains available in Vancouver even if other pain killers such as oxycodone, morphine and methadone are available on the street. Vancouver is one of the only places in the world that has a safe injection site. It had brought a lot of controversy amongst the different authorities and medical field. Even if people have really good intentions. This type of facility does not replace proper treatment. There are some really good drug rehab centers in B.C where individuals can be gotten off of heroin and get therapy so they get their life back.

The city of Vancouver has a diversity of availability and abuse of different drugs. Cocaine and crack are readily available throughout the city. Club drugs such as ecstasy, GHB are popular in the adolescent and young adult population. Methamphetamine use has been increasing over the last years.The area is noted for a high incidence of poverty, drug use, sex trade, crime, as well as a history of community activism. The Downtown Eastside has a high incidence of HIV infection. Vancouver’s drug problem has grown steadily worse over the last decade. Vancouver’s needle exchange, the first in North America, opened in 1989, distributes about 3 million free needles per year to drug addicts.

There are services that can help you in to find a good drug rehab in British Columbia for you or someone you love.

SUPERINTENDENT DAN MALO

Officer in Charge, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit Gang Task Force
Networking: 5:00 pm to 6:30 pm (Dinner) RESERVATIONS REQUIRED BEFORE 5 PM FRIDAY, March 12th Members: $30 ~ Non Members: $45 RSVP: 604.530.6656 ~ events@langleychamber.com Cancellation Deadline: 48 hours prior Sorry, “No Shows” will be invoiced

“A TRUE LOOK AT GANGS AND
WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT IT!”

Results of the Canadian Police Survey on Youth Gangs

Youth gangs are not just an urban phenomenon. They are active across the country in both large and small communities.

Results of the Canadian Police Survey on Youth Gangs and other sources suggest that youth gangs are a growing concern in many Canadian jurisdictions. Although not to the same extent as in the United States, comparisons between the two countries show that almost twice the percentage of jurisdictions in the United States report active youth gangs as compared with those in Canada.

The Survey asked police officers to estimate the number of youth gangs in their jurisdiction. According to these estimates:

• Canada has 434 youth gangs with roughly 7,000 members nationally.
• Ontario has the highest number of youth gangs and youth gang members in absolute terms, with 216 youth gangs and 3,320 youth gang members. Saskatchewan is second (28 youth gangs and 1,315 members), followed by British Columbia (102 youth gangs and 1,027 members).
• For the country as a whole, the vast majority of youth gang members are male (94%).
• Almost half (48%) of all youth gang members are under the age of 18. Most (39%) are between 16 and 18 years old.
• The largest proportion of youth gang members are African Canadian (25%), followed by First Nations (21%) and Caucasian (18%).
• Police agencies and Aboriginal organizations indicate that there is a growing percentage of female gang membership in western Canadian provinces, including British Columbia (12%), Manitoba (10%) and Saskatchewan (9%).

Gangs, crime and violence

The movement of gang members from one jurisdiction to another appears to have an impact on the criminal activities and involvement of youth, as does the return of gang-involved youth or adult inmates from correctional facilities.

From a prevention perspective, it is vital to understand that youth involvement in crime and violence is linked with the experience of the gang itself.

In the United States, studies of large urban samples show that youth gang members are responsible for a large proportion of all violent adolescent offences. On average, 20% of gang members were responsible for committing about 80% of all serious violent adolescent offences.

While similar offence data is not available in Canada, a quasi-national study of the criminal careers of a birth cohort found that 16% of alleged young offenders who were classified as chronic offenders were responsible for 58% of all alleged criminal incidents.

Table 1: Comparison of Youth Gangs in Canada and the United States

Source: Astwood Strategy Corporation (2004)

Table 2: Estimated Number of Youth Gangs and Youth Gang Members, Nationally and by Province, 2002

Reference:

Greater Langley Chamber Of Commerce

http://www.langleychamber.com/

Public Safety Stats Canada

http://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/prg/cp/bldngevd/2007-yg-1-eng.aspx

1. Come face-to-face with reality.

Learning how to deal with reality is the most important first step in “surviving” when you love an addicted person. Although it may seem easier to stay in the “fantasy space” where you can continue to believe that things are going to magically get better, there is no such magic. Things will not get better just because you wish they would.

Coming face-to-face with reality means accepting that parts of your life may be out of control as a result of loving someone who is engaging in addictive behaviours. These addictions can include mind-altering substances such as drugs and alcohol, as well as mood-altering addictions such as eating disorders, compulsive over-spending, smoking, being “glued” to the internet, gambling or codependency in relationships.

You may be feeling a constant, gnawing worry that you live with every day. You may find yourself being asked for money often, and feeling guilty if you say no. Perhaps you are watching everything you say and do, in order to “keep peace” in your home and not make the addict angry. Or you may be asked to do favours for the addict on a consistent basis, such as watching their children or doing their errands, and you may not know how to say no.

Whatever your particular situation is, acceptance of what you are dealing with in your life is the first survival tip for loving an addicted person.

2. Discover how to love an addicted person — and stay healthy.

There are effective ways to deal with the addicted person in your life, just as there are ways that are not only ineffective but can also be dangerous. Learning to distinguish between them can save you a lot of time and can also produce much healthier results for you and your addicted loved one.

For example, learning how to set and maintain appropriate boundaries is a very important skill. You may need to explore the reasons why you have a problem doing that, and then learn some assertiveness techniques that will help you say “yes” when you mean yes, and “no” when you mean no.

Another way to keep yourself healthy while caring about an addicted person is to make sure you are looking after your own life and keeping a good balance with such things as work or volunteering, supportive friendships, fitness and good nutrition, and time for the fun activities that you enjoy.

Choose to practice the healthier ways of loving your addicted person.

3. You cannot control or “fix” another person, so stop trying!

The only person you have any control over is yourself. You do not have control over anything the addicted person does. Many people choose not to believe this, but that doesn’t make it any less true. Once you can really grasp the reality of this concept and live by it, your life will become much easier.

The Serenity Prayer can give you a helpful gauge to see whether you are trying to control people and situations that you simply cannot control.

God, Grant me the Serenity
To accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.

Cultivate your wisdom, so that you know the difference between what you can and can’t change, and stop trying to control or “fix” anyone other than yourself.

4. Stop blaming the other person and become willing to look at yourself.

As easy and tempting as it may be for you to blame the addict in your life for your struggles and suffering, there is actually more value in exploring what you may be contributing to this situation, since that is the only thing you can really do anything about.

Even though the addict has undoubtedly contributed his or her share of the trouble, in some way you also have a part to play in what is going on. For example, you might be keeping the “drama” going by lending money to your addicted loved one. Or perhaps you are always willing to be there to listen when they tell you all about the problems they are encountering as consequences of their addictive behaviours.

These kinds of actions on your part will not help your loved one in the long run. It is your responsibility to recognize and “own” your unhelpful behaviours, and to get professional help in doing this if necessary.

Understanding why you choose to behave in unhealthy ways is the key to making a change. Become courageous enough to be willing to look at yourself.

5. Learn the difference between “helping” and “enabling.”

Just like most people, you might think that you need to help your addicted loved one. You probably fear that if you don’t provide help, he or she will end up in a worse predicament. When you try to “help” addicts by giving them money, allowing them to stay in your home, buying food for them on a regular basis, driving them places or going back on the healthy boundaries you have already set with them, you are actually engaging in “rescuing” behaviours that are not really helpful. Another term for this kind of unhealthy helping is “enabling.”

When you can be as truthful as possible with yourself about your own enabling behaviours, you can begin to make different choices. This will lead to healthier changes in your addicted loved one as well. For example, you might decide to tell the addict in your life that you will no longer listen to them complain about their lives. However, you can let them know that you are very willing to be there for them as soon as they are ready to work on resolving their problems.

Once you stop your enabling behaviours, you can then begin to truly help your loved one.

6. Don’t give in to manipulation.

It has been said that the least favourite word for an addict to hear is “No.” When addicts are not ready to change, they become master manipulators in order to keep the addiction going. Their fear of stopping is so great that they will do just about anything to keep from having to be honest with themselves. Some of these manipulations include lying, cheating, blaming, raging and guilt-tripping others, as well as becoming depressed or developing other kinds of emotional or physical illnesses.

The more you allow yourself to be manipulated by the addict, the more manipulative the addict is likely to become. When you hold your ground and refuse to give into their unreasonable demands, they will eventually realize that they are not going to get their way.

Saying “no” is an important first step toward change — for you, as well as for the addict.

7. Ask yourself the “Magic Question.”

It is important to understand that you might be just as “addicted” to your enabling behaviours as the addict in your life is to his or her manipulations.

In the same way that addicts use drugs, alcohol and other addictive behaviours to avoid dealing with their shame about feeling unworthy and unlovable, you may be focusing on the addict’s behaviour in order to avoid having to focus on living your own life. Your enabling behaviours toward the addict may be helping to keep you busy and to fill up your life so that you don’t have to see how lonely and empty you are feeling inside.

Ask yourself the question “How would my life be better if I wasn’t consumed by behaviours that enable my loved one?” Allow yourself to answer honestly, and be aware of any feelings that come up.

Although it may be scary to think about giving up behaviours that have formed your “comfort zone,” it may be even more scary for you to think about continuing them.

8. Know that “Self-care” does not equal “selfish.”

Too many people get these two ideas confused: they think that if they practice healthy self-care and put themselves first, they are being selfish. “Selfishness” basically means that you want what you want when you want it, and you are willing to step on whomever you have to in order to get it. That actually sounds more like the behaviour of the addict. If you try to take care of someone else before taking care of yourself, you will simply become depleted and exhausted.

“Self-caring” means that you respect yourself enough to take good care of yourself in healthy and holistic ways such as making sure your physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs are met.

As an adult, it is your job to determine what your needs are, and you are the only one responsible for meeting them.

9. Rebuild your own life.

The best way to come out of your own “addictive behaviours,” such as enabling and people-pleasing, is to focus on your own life. If your life seems empty in any areas such as career, relationships or self-care, begin to rebuild your life by exploring the kinds of things that might fulfill you. Would you like to make a career change or go back to school? Perhaps you would like to develop different hobbies or activities that would help you meet new people.

Rebuilding your life so that you feel a greater sense of happiness and self-fulfillment is your most important over-all responsibility. Enjoy!

10. Don’t wait until the situation is really bad ~ reach out for help NOW!!

When those who love people with any type of addictive behaviour finally reach out for help, they have usually been dealing with their situation for a long time. If you have been waiting to see whether things would get better without professional help, please consider getting help NOW, before things become even worse.

If this situation is just beginning for you, it is best to get some support as soon as possible, so that you don’t make the mistakes that could make things more difficult.

The sooner you reach out for help, the better it is for everyone concerned.

Candace Plattor, M.A., R.C.C.

http://www.candaceplattor.com/articles/top_10_survival_tips.htm

Viewer discretion is strongly advised for its graphic details, drug use, graphic language.

Streets Of Plenty – 1 of 7 – Vancouver Homeless Doc

From: CoreyOgilvie | January 25, 2010 | 8,827 view

An unprecedented look into the underworld of Vancouver’s downtown eastside ghetto, this 65 minute documentary follows one man’s 30 day experiment of joining the thousands of homeless, ill, and addicted, who survive the streets of Vancouver’s cold, wet December. He starts off with nothing but a pair of underwear. Where he ends up is a place he never knew existed, even though its a place he passed by every day. This is the perfect film for anyone who wants to see first hand what life is like on Vancouver’s streets, but doesn’t want to risk murder from gang violence, contracting a fatal or chronic disease, or a life-long addiction to crack or heroin.

Back to Part one

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

Viewer discretion is strongly advised for its graphic details, drug use, graphic language.

Streets Of Plenty – 1 of 7 – Vancouver Homeless Doc

From: CoreyOgilvie | January 25, 2010 | 8,827 view

An unprecedented look into the underworld of Vancouver’s downtown eastside ghetto, this 65 minute documentary follows one man’s 30 day experiment of joining the thousands of homeless, ill, and addicted, who survive the streets of Vancouver’s cold, wet December. He starts off with nothing but a pair of underwear. Where he ends up is a place he never knew existed, even though its a place he passed by every day. This is the perfect film for anyone who wants to see first hand what life is like on Vancouver’s streets, but doesn’t want to risk murder from gang violence, contracting a fatal or chronic disease, or a life-long addiction to crack or heroin.

Part One   -   Click here for Part Two

Physical relapse is the final action of a much deeper process and when we look at relapse, we can see that the “relapse” started sometimes weeks or months ago.  We need to understanding that addiction relapse is not just the physical action of picking up a drink or a drug.

When looking into addiction relapse we can see that it breaks down into 3 main areas such as: mental awareness, emotional wellness, and physical relapse.

The key to continued recovery is to be aware of early addiction relapse symptoms in order to preventative action. Lets take a look at each section and hopefully this can give you some insight into your own process.

The mental relapse:

It is hard sometimes to recognize the earlier stages of the mental addiction relapse due to the fact that we are the only ones struggling with this war inside of our heads. Most times it can start of so innocently and warp into an oddly sick obsession. The mental process can break down, sometimes slowly, sometime quickly and our lines of defenses are not so clear

Looking at the earlier stages of mental relapse:

• Justifying actions
• Minimizing addictive behaviors
• Thoughts about old places, friendships or experiences
• Playing around with relapse, thinking about ways that you can conceal your addiction relapse
• Lying
• Not tell others about your thoughts and remaining in isolation
• “War stories” glamorizing your past using/behaviors
• Associating with past negative social networks which puts you into harms way

We have only listed a few, it’s important to know what your red flags are around your patterns of mental relapse. One of the most important tools in dealing with mental relapse is to include a healthy support system that is educated in what your red flags look like. Disclosing your mental relapse signs to your support system can be an overwhelming task however is completely essential if you want to tackle your addiction. Bring people closer can have amazing benefits and start to create a sense of self-esteem, inclusion and overall trust.

Developing tools for dealing with you mental relapses:

Journaling:

can be an amazing and effective tool for developing a deep awareness of our mental processes. Using the journaling tool can be very powerful and help us to see the complexities.

Accessing a healthy support group:

Talking about the internal process can be a very powerful tool and it lets people understand us! We are not alone and there are many options for us such as 12-step groups, rehab treatment, sponsors, community addiction services, help-lines, counsellors, relapse prevention and etc..

Healthy Activities:

Get into action, a restless mind breeds many problems! Walking, belonging to a sports group, yoga, acting, running clubs, hobbies and ect.. If we are creative we can find many free activities to be involved in. Many times looking at someone’s relapse we can see it was a person doing the same old things and expecting different results.

Reading positive materials:

Picking up positive and supportive materials can be the backbone of new thinking. As they say garbage in – garbage out! Starting your day with powerful and positive reading material can help us to put the right foot down and feel like we are on the right track.

Taking time out:

Slowing down and have time to meditate or simply just slowing down and giving your self-time for self care. We are more open to accepting change when we are in a calmer state, charging the batteries help us to refocus.

Emotional Wellness:

We need to pay special attention to all signs of relapse however our emotional wellness can be a major contributing factor to our overall chances of long-term success. Balanced emotional wellness is something that just doesn’t happen over night and sometimes can take years to really take shape. In most cases, our addition served as a tool, keeping us feeling safe and suppressing our emotional process.

It quite common that once someone stops their addiction, they can experience a traumatic emotional rollercoaster ride and feel that they are on shaky ground at the best of times. Understanding that this common experience is part of a first step in developing awareness and tools for dealing with or newfound emotional process. This is one of the reasons why 12-step groups have been a contributing factor to the success of sobriety. The feelings of been alone can be overwhelming and to much to deal with.

In part two we are going to take a closer look into the Physical signs, common tips in dealing with relapses and much more…

Submitted by LDR Holistic Treatment Servives

The whole purpose of the 12 steps is to have a “spiritual awakening” and adopt a lifestyle whereby we live by spiritual principals.  Despite what you may have heard the steps are the program and living according to the principals is the goal.

The word spiritual is so hard to define because it carries different meanings with different people.

Spiritual:  concerned with or affecting the spirit or soul; a spiritual approach to life; spiritual fulfillment; spiritual values.

Principal:  a rule of action or conduct (his overriding principle is honesty); a fundamental doctrine or tenet (their principles do not permit the use of alcoholic beverages).

According to the dictionary “spiritual” has to do with the spirit or soul.  We all have different concepts of what spirit we serve and that’s ok, this program is big enough to encompass all views.  What is important is that we serve something other than ourselves.

Principal defined is a rule of action or conduct, in other words what I base my life decisions on.  Not what I say, but what I do.  Why is it that we always want to be judged by what we say and not by what we do?

12 step program of Alcoholics Anonymous

The 12 Steps each encompass several spiritual principals but there is usually one dominant principal for each step.  Let’s look at the 12 dominant spiritual principals of the program as they are defined by the dictionary.

Step 1.  Surrender and Acceptance:  being sincere, truthful, trustworthy, honorable, fair, genuine, and loyal with integrity.

Step 2.  Hope:  believing that anything is possible even though there may be evidence to the contrary.

Step 3.  Faith:  a secure belief in the God of your understanding and a trusting acceptance of your God’s will.

Step 4.  Courage:  taking action in spite of fear.

Step 5.  Integrity:  being a man of your word.

Step 6.  Willingness:  freedom from reluctance or reservations.

Step 7.  Humility:  lack of vanity or self-importance.

Step 8.  Brotherly Love:  a kindly and lenient attitude toward people.

Step 9.  Justice and Restitution:  act of making good or compensating for loss, damage, or injury.

Step 10.  Perseverance:  is failing nineteen times and succeeding the twentieth.

Step 11.  Spirituality:  to reconnect or improve our connection with the nature of Divinity/God in all of its forms.

Step 12.  Service:  charity and helping others without recognition or reward.

Rigorous Honesty is the overriding principal in all the steps.  None of the other principals are possible without it. Today I pray that I may begin to live the spiritual principals and not just talk about the principals.

Submitted by:

John Sheriden, Addiction Counsellor – LDR Holistic Treatment Services

During any addiction recovery process and even afterward, support is essential. A simple, easy and proven effective way, that anyone can use to support themselves, is keeping an addiction recovery journal or diary. An excellent tool for recovery, as well as a great way of doing our, Daily 10th Step Inventory, journaling provides a record of gratitudes, goals, intentions, and the ups and the downs of life. Journaling is a record of our actions and growth, our dreams and desires.

Journaling is all about expression.  Writing down, recording our feelings, recognizing them, and leaving them on the page, is an excellent way to understand and figure out what is really important to us and for us.  We can realize what we are really experiencing.  We see what we are really thinking.  It is right there on the page in black and white.  Where is the fear?  Where is the joy?  Do my thoughts make sense in the real world?  Within the journaling pages and with time, clarity is easier to obtain and focus upon.  Then, after this processing, we can make clear, focused choices of what works and serves us and what does not.

Some excellent, supportive tools to use to start an addiction recovery journal are The 5 Year Journal, The Mastermind Journal or any daily journal/day timer.  By using these dated daily journals you can start on any day of the year.  These formats are especially conducive for journaling daily the 12 Step Recovery Program.  After each year journaled, we can look back at the previous years to see where we were last year, then two years ago, three years, and so on in order to assess our growth and progress.

5 Journaling Tips:

1. Start journaling on any day of the year.

2. Set your journal where you see it every day: on the kitchen table, your desk or in your briefcase.  This will help remind you to journal daily.

3. Keep a pen or pencil with your journal.

4. Skipping days is a part of journaling.  Don’t let a missed day discourage you.

5. Try to journal at the same time on any given day.  This helps to develop journaling as part of your daily routine.

By journaling every day, we make time for ourselves, and in so many ways our journal becomes a treasured keepsake. Keeping an addiction recovery journal can reduce stress, help focus and organize us, and becomes a good reminder, helping us to set and track goals. Comparing and exploring the different times of our lives is easy with a journal.

John Sheriden, LDR Holistic Treatment Services

Santa just may of come early for those who needed him the most!

In the heart of what they call “skidrow” you might of wondered if Santa and his crew of hard working helpers landed down for a visited to one of the hardest hit area’s of addiction and poverty. It’s not uncommon to see large groups in this part of town, but something was different about this one. With large bags of new clothing, totes of sandwiches and fruit, a group of men walking the streets yelling “Merry Christmas” had all of the local action.

LDR Holistic Treatment Services and its merry men, where busy spreading a message of “Christmas Joy.” “Our Goal today is very simple, tell people that you care and do something to show it!” Spies said.

Spies states; “We are in one of the darkest parts of the downtown eastside, spreading hope and a powerful message that you are not forgotten.”

While half of the group of volunteers are busy handing out new scarf’s, hats, jackets, sweaters and gloves. The other part is handing out hot chocolate, apples and freshly made turkey & roast beef sandwiches.

“The miracle of Christmas is still alive; we received an amazing gift today from the people, that hope is a two-way street and has the power to move any soul” Spies said.

Addiction News,