Grade 6 students at Jasper Elementary School are taking part in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (D.A.R.E.) program over the next few weeks, which provides the skills and information to help kids resist drugs, alcohol and violence. 

The program is being delivered by Jasper RCMP Constable Aime Mills, who has been visiting the students once a week to teach the program and answer a variety of questions from the inquisitive group. 

The program started off on Feb. 16 with a question from the D.A.R.E. box, where kids have been submitting questions. One student asked the previous week how many Canadians smoked. Const. Mills told the students that 18 per cent of people 15 or older smoke, which makes up a whopping 4.9 million Canadians. Another student asked what crystal meth was, and Const. Mills explained what the dangerous illegal drug looks like, and likened it to cocaine for its many health concerns. 

The topic of the Feb. 16 lesson was alcohol advertising, and the kids were asked to brainstorm places they have seen beer and liquor ads in Jasper and their homes. The students watched a video where they learned that the alcohol industry spends over a billion dollars a year on advertising on TV, in magazines and more. 

After the video, Const. Mills asked what the kids noticed about alcohol advertising. The students pointed out that they are often targeted towards men, with women portrayed negatively. The commercials often show a big party with everyone enjoying themselves.

“They want you to think it’s a cool thing to do, and you’re going to have fun,” Const. Mills said. 

The students also noticed that the commercials often show people engaging in fun activities like hockey or going for a hike, and then heading out for a beer afterward. 

Each week the students learn about a different dangerous drug. This week the topic was inhalants. Const. Mills introduced the drug by asking what students notice when they are in a freshly painted room. The kids said they sometimes felt light-headed, nauseous and got a headache. 

She told the students that some people use chemicals like paint, gas or cleaning products as drugs, and went on to describe the risks and stress how serious abuse of chemicals as inhalants can pose. 

She reminded the students of their previous lessons, where they learned about problem solving and how to say no if a friend or peer suggests they try an inhalant. 

Const. Mills said a drug is described as a substance that will alter the body in any way. 

After the talk, Const. Mills had the students work in groups. First they wrote down the risks and consequences of using drugs and alcohol, and then recorded what they could do with their friends instead. Skiing was high up on the list, along with soccer and other fun sports. 

The lesson finished off with the students recording in their D.A.R.E. books what parts of the body inhalants affect, and then reflecting on how alcohol advertisements target young people.

The students will write an essay at the end of the program on what they learned, and Const. Mills will continue to answer questions put forward by the group.

At the end of the lesson, Const. Mills answered a few more questions, where students asked about her job, and what happens with drugs confiscated by the RCMP.