AARC

[Elle]

AARC Hi everyone, W. Fagar told me about this list and suggested I introduce myself. I'm a "graduate" of AARC (Alberta Adolecent Recovery Center located in Calgary) and am told that some others have come here from it. I'm pretty scared about talking about it, but I'm sure it's something you've all been through. AARCville's a small world where everyone has their eyes on you all the time and they're ears open, so I feel as if they're reading this post in Open Meeting right now. Which come to think of it, they probably would do!


I've stumbled upon these pages and can't tell you how relieved I am to find them. I'd love to make it to the conference, but because of money I'm sure I won't be able too. I am however good at letter writing, and if any speaker would be willing to be a muse and read a letter about AARC at the conference, I would be glad to contribute.


Nice to meet every one of you.


                                           Elle.

[Antigen]

Re: AARC Hi Elle, good to make your acquaintance.


I would be pleased as punch to deliver your printed material and read it at the podeum if I can't get anyone else to do it.


Also, I'm very interested in what's going on with the drug warriors in Canada. In Vanocouver a couple of years ago, the head of their equivalent of our DEA was making public statements to the effect that they'd, in effect, decriminalized marijuana. Said they have a real problem with heroin, but MJ, though pervasive, didn't seem to carry the same social ills. Last week I saw one of those nightly news segments on a great, huge crack-down on marijuana grow operations in BC. Now they're saying that the pot dealers are only using the MJ proceeds to fund their heroin operation.


Now, I know that this is complete hogwash. Heroin is far more profitable than MJ and, for the most part, MJ people don't associate with heroin people. MJ deals are closed with a handshake, heroin deals at gunpoint. What idiot is going to go the risk of moving a bunch of heroin accross an additional border only to trade it for a far greater quantity of an equally contraband product that he then has to convert to cash back on this side? Lawless and stupid are too different things, and if the heroin dealers are this stupid, then I don't think we have much to worry about from them.


And yet it's public policy. So I'm curious about recent changes in the organizations who are suddenly so frightened of the pot growers who were not a problem 2 years ago.


I've also heard of an organization called ChildSafe, that seems to be a TOUGHLOVE hategroup. Know anything about them?


On the other side of the continent, there has been a very interesting debate going on on the topic of the American Drug War in the papers. www.mapinc.org/mjparty.htm


Canada has been America's Jimmeny Cricket in the War of 1812 as well as Vietnam. What's your take on the local temper on this issue?

-If there's a worse idea going than locking kids up for victimless crimes, it's probably locking them in close proximity to some tyrannical altruist bent on helping them even if it kills them.
http://trebach.org/conference.html'>Saving our Children from Drug Treatment Abuse

[Elle]

AARC Well, I've spent plenty of time in many provinces, so let me tell you about the drugs in Canada from what it seems like on the streets.


First of all it varies from province to province. None have decriminalized any drug, except for medical MJ, which is allowed but kept quiet. On the ohter hand, some cities feel like Amsterdam. There is usually a handful of arrests on major ealers, often MJ, once per year. The rest of the year everyone is safe, now that the police have bettered their reputation. In Vancouver there's been a long time running crack house across the street from a police station. There are line ups around the block to get in, and pimps around the block handing out free crack if you buy one of their girls! In Van you can shoot up, or smoke up in the open and you will be allowed, but technically it is iligal. It's basically a known fact that the police have decided to let it go on, but go on saying "we're doing all we can to keep drug crimes down".

My experience is that Hells Angels control most of the major dealing, and Canada is terrified of them.


There are "tough love" programs around Canada, but I don't know the place that you are speaking of. I've heard some other names that are questionable, but I haven't experienced them myself. Certain area's of Canada are really desperate now, and any ol' treatment program will do, cult or no cult.


And yes, Canadians, we are your backbone. We save your ass year after year, and all you do is watch our sports and call us Canucks. I don't mind. Means less gun bearing Americans will come here : ) Both countries have their goods, so I can't pee on either of them.


Does anyone have a program for the conference? That way if I was to write something, I would know if it fits in or not. Topic suggestion?


                                 Take care,

                                             Elle.

[Antigen]

Conference program The project for today is to complete that program. Actually, I'm slackin over here when I should be doing that. We should have at least a presentable draft by this afternoon.

-If there's a worse idea going than locking kids up for victimless crimes, it's probably locking them in close proximity to some tyrannical altruist bent on helping them even if it kills them.
http://trebach.org/conference.html'>Saving our Children from Drug Treatment Abuse

[ramprato]

Re: Conference program Glad to meet you Elle,


I live in the Detroit area and unlike a lot of my American colleagues, I have the advantage of being able to tune into the CBC for an alternative point of view on news that doesn't necessarily agree with the American "agenda". It would be nice some day to see the CBC do a spot on AARC and its controversies. Would you know if the AARC is still in operation today and if so are the Alberta papers giving them any mention?


Thanks.....Ken

[Elle]

AARC Yup. Up running, and growing. They've recieved more positive media attention (from Dateline to covering papers across Canada) than they have negative. However, if you go to the clagary Harold's site, all you'll find is a couple of articles about one of the parents painting a cow for fundraising. I'm guessing that either Alberta is sick of talking about it, or feeling a little more uneasy about it now. Some of the articles I've read were so insane that they made me sick. Like, how the zero club is about having your best friends surround you until you feel loved enough to go on without them. Hmmm. Not what I remember.


                                      Elle.

[KimberlyNJ]

Elle!!!!! Hello Elle!  How long were you in AARC?  I know some people that were or ARE involved in it...You might know them,,,I'd love to e-mail you.  Or you could e-mail me...whichever.  Nice to meet you and welcome to the board...