COPS HOPE TO GET AN ANTI-MARIJUANA MESSAGE OUT TO LOCAL TEENS

Hamilton police say kids today are misinformed about the risks of using marijuana and the lasting effects drug use may have on their lives.

Constable Frank Miscione, school resource officer for the Hamilton Police Service, said he's doing what he can to get the message out to young people that using marijuana should not be taken lightly.

"I always ask the students if they believe they can die from smoking marijuana," said Const.  Miscione.  "Of course, they don't."

He said what students often don't give thought to is where the drugs they are buying come from, before they get into the hands of their own dealer.

"When you're using an illegal drug, it's not coming from a source like the drug store," he said.  "You don't know where they're coming from.  But usually it's a large growing operation."

With that the case, Const.  Miscione said it's very hard to tell what has happened to drugs after they've changed hands a number of times.  He said often marijuana is laced with date rape drugs to create a certain effect, leading the user to develop a physiological addiction, much stronger than the psychological addiction common with illegal drugs.

"They create this physiological addiction and that means the dealer gets a lot more business from these kids," Const.  Miscione said.  "We've seen drugs laced with other things before."

Const.  Miscione said the different chemicals laced within the drugs react differently to each person, causing bodies to act in a certain way.  Drugs such as ketamine and GHB are often found in marijuana and can do unexpected things to the body.

"The important message that came out of the Parkside incident is that you may not think marijuana is that bad, but it's still illegal," said Const.  Miscione.  "And the drugs that it may be laced with are often odourless, colourless and tasteless.  You won't know they're in there."

He said students need also to consider that these drugs are not being made in a laboratory, where chemicals are checked and the environment is sterile.

"Ecstasy is made in clandestine labs and with that you really don't know what you're taking," Const.  Miscione said.  "

While drug use among high school students is not necessarily on the rise, what is more apparent is the nonchalant attitude being taken by students.

"The blatancy is bigger," Const.  Miscione said.  "Thirty years ago it was still being done, but on weekends and at night, not as much during school time or on school property."

He suggested a lot of the blatancy is due to the confusing laws surrounding marijuana possession.  Const.  Miscione said "kids are misinformed" about the legalities surrounding marijuana possession and use, which is why police conduct random drug sweeps at every high school in Hamilton.

Students caught using illegal drugs will face disciplinary action on a couple of levels.

"If the student is under 18, we must consider judicial measures under the Youth Criminal Justice Act," said Const.  Miscione.  "There are five steps we can take, ranging from unconditional release to being charged."

Jane Allison, public relations officer for the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board, said drug use or possession falls under the Safe Schools Policy and the Code of Conduct set out by the province.

"There are different ways to suspend," Ms.  Allison said.