The Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee has several events planned to celebrate National Addictions Awareness Week, events that will be its last before it finishes its awareness campaign for 2021.
The awareness week runs from Sunday, Nov. 21 to Saturday, Nov. 27 and has the theme of “Driving Change Together.”
The Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction says this week helps highlight solutions to address harms around alcohol and other drugs, while it gives Canadians the chance to learn about prevention, treatment and recovery, and possible solutions, said Mary Lee Booth, the committee’s public relations co-ordinator.
“Addressing mental health and addictions issues is complex, and it takes the efforts of many organizations, services and individuals working together to ensure that citizens with mental health and addictions issues have their needs met in the most appropriate and co-ordinated way,” she added.
The crystal meth committee is working with the Moose Jaw Police Service, Medavie Health Services West, Moose Jaw Public Library, Saskatchewan Health Authority’s health promotion, the John Howard Society, Journey to Hope and Square One Community Inc. to present several activities during this year’s National Addictions Awareness Week.
These activities are designed to encourage residents to learn more about alcohol and drug misuse, the potential harms associated with these activities and how to connect with mental health and addictions services for help.
Since the committee is finishing its awareness campaign for 2021, it is also asking for public feedback about how it has done. The survey can be found at www.surveymonkey.com/r/89PK8PQ.
Awareness week events
Mayor Clive Tolley will kick off the activities by proclaiming addictions awareness week in his office on Thursday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m.
The first event will be a presentation about Naloxone, along with the distribution of Naloxone and Narcan kits, at the John Howard Society at 15 Hochelaga Street West from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 22. Residents are invited to learn more about this anti-opioid treatment; refreshments will be available.
A presentation entitled “Current Drug Trends in Moose Jaw” will be held that same day at the library theatre at 7 p.m. The police service and a community paramedic will speak about what drugs are being used in the community, how to recognize drug use and helpful ways people can respond.
Admission is free but seating is limited to 60 people. Guests are required to show vaccine passports or recent negative COVID-19 tests and must wear masks.
A Zoom presentation entitled “Spread the word on meth” will be held at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 23. Attendees will learn what crystal meth looks like and what it is made of, how it affects the brain and why it is a concern. The Zoom link can be accessed on the public library’s Facebook page or website or at https://palliserlibrary.zoom.us/j/87005012543.
The premiere of the Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee’s second locally filmed documentary, “Stop Mething Around: A Family Affair,” will occur on Wednesday, Nov. 24. The film features a family member of an individual affected by crystal meth addiction and a police officer and crystal meth committee member discussing support and resources for relatives.
The documentary will be shown at the library at 7 p.m. or through the committee’s Facebook page. Admission to the library is free, but seating is limited to 60 people and the usual pandemic restrictions will be in place.
The film will be released on YouTube following its premiere.
Meanwhile, there will be two events on Thursday, Nov. 25.
A Lunch and Learn event about drug treatment court will be held at noon that day and sponsored by Square One Community Inc. Attendees will hear about drug treatment court and listen to one of its graduates.
To register, email [email protected] or text 306-630-6121.
Later that day, at 7 p.m., a Zoom presentation will be held entitled “Talking with kids about drugs.” This will be an interactive discussion for parents on preparing for and engaging pre-teens and teens about discussions on drug use.
The Zoom link can be found on the library’s website or Facebook page or by visiting https://palliserlibrary.zoom.us/j/88527280807.
The Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee will have social media challenges on its Facebook page, classroom challenges for students, and various Voices of Hope vignettes at http://journeytohope/synthasite.com or on Moose Jaw Journey to Hope’s Facebook page.
