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Drug Awareness Week (DAW) began as a grassroots initiative in the early 1980s, and was officially recognized as National Drug Awareness Week in 1987 by the minister of Health and Welfare at the time -- the same year that Canada's first national drug strategy was launched.
It was also during the late 1980s that Alberta's Nechi Institute began to host the very successful National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW). Although primarily an Aboriginal initiative, it quickly caught on with non-Aboriginal communities as well. Find out more about plans for NAAW 2006 at http://www.naaw.net/.
The development and ongoing endorsements of the National Framework for Action have placed fresh emphasis on substance abuse prevention and awareness activities, and has created new opportunities for improved coordination of those activities. The Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse believes that National Drug and Addictions Awareness Week is an initiative that merits the attention of all Canadians and this Web page is intended to help that happen.
CCSA online resources
Prevention: http://www.ccsa.ca/CCSA/EN/Topics/Intervention/Prevention.htm
Statistics (including provincial student drug use surveys): http://www.ccsa.ca/CCSA/EN/Statistics/
NAAW/DAW activities across Canada:
Alberta
British Columbia
Manitoba
Newfoundland and Labrador
Nova Scotia
Ontario
Prince Edward Island
Quebec
Saskatchewan
National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) Launch
Canadian Home and School Federation (CHSF)
Council of the Federation
Department of National Defence
This year's theme is Making a Difference Together. Activities include several sober walks in communities such as Edmonton, Calgary and Lethbridge; resource fairs in schools and community centres; radio and newspaper campaigns; and family swims and skating in Lethbridge and Calgary. As well, the Nechi Institute has designed a NAAW ribbon representing "the many addictions people fight from day to day".
People are invited to kick off National Addictions Awareness Week in Calgary with the 10th Annual Wellness Walk -- Keeping the Circle Strong -- hosted by The Downtown Friendship Centre. This event began as a community celebration for NAAW, and has evolved into a larger event with a few hundred participants walking in recognition and support of healthy, addiction-free living. The event is characteristic of the collaborative efforts of communities with NAAW activities across the province.
This year's event takes place on Monday, Nov. 20, starting at 12 noon at The Downtown Friendship Centre, (610-8 Avenue S.E.) where participants are invited to come for lunch and speakers. The Walk (approximately 45 minutes) will start and end at the City Hall Atrium (800 Macleod Trail S.E.) where there will be Resource Fair until 4 p.m. For more information, please contact Gloria at 403-297-3337.
Also on Monday, Nov. 20, at noon, there will be a Sober, Clean and Clear Walk in Edmonton, starting at Commerce Place (10155-102 St.) and ending at City Hall with speakers (#1 Sir Winston Churchill Sq.). Displays will be set up all day in Commerce Place for browsing as well. The walk is intended to help participants to become more informed about addictions, to encourage them on their own journey of recovery, and let them show they care for those in their community.
The Centre for Addictions Research of BC (CAR-BC) is conducting media communications to encourage low-risk drinking and to direct people to CAR-BC's online Alcohol Check Up (http://checkup.silink.ca/) to assess their drinking pattern for level of risk. For information, call Tim Dyck at 604-408-7753, ext. 230.
The City of Vancouver is putting on a conference for youth and service providers. This one-day event on Nov. 18 will feature some informative workshops, music and entertainment and the screening of film and claymation videos produced by Vancouver youth on the theme of prevention of drug use. This free event will be held at Tupper Secondary School in Vancouver and aims to draw up to 200 people with a strong youth representation, mainly from Vancouver, but also from across B.C. For more information visit http://www.vancouveryouth.ca/. To register contact the Drug Policy Program at 604-871-6483 or david.yadlowski@vancouver.ca.
The City of Richmond has two events planned. The first is the launch of a Chinese language booklet on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2006 at the Aberdeen Centre. The booklet provides an explanation of the concepts of use, misuse and addiction, an outline of what is occurring in the Chinese community, visuals of how drugs affect our physical bodies, and advice for determining whether someone has a problem.
The second event is a workshop for professionals, Serving the Chinese Community: Addictions and Beyond, on Thursday, Nov. 23, 1:30-4:00 p.m., at Richmond Culture Centre. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Miu Chung Yan, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work and Family Studies, University of British Columbia.
For information on these two events, contact Richmond Addiction Services at 604-270-9220.
British Columbia has a website designed to help students, parents, and teachers understand more about crystal methamphetamine and other substances that put young people at risk of not reaching their full potential. The site can be found at http://www.no2meth.ca/.
The theme for Manitoba Addictions Awareness Week (MAAW) 2006 is The Courage To Be Me!. The kick-off will take place on Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. at the Franco-Manitoban Cultural Centre (Salon Empire), 340 Provencher Blvd. The winners of this year's Addictions Awareness Week awards will be guests of honour at the kick-off.
This year more than 80 Manitoba schools, community groups and workplaces applied for and received funding from the MAAW Committee to undertake Addictions Awareness Week activities and events. MAAW resource kits are provided by the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba (AFM) in English and French and this year include:
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A Contest: Young people from Kindergarten to Grade 12 can submit a poster, a piece of writing, or a video.
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New and updated topics, fact sheets and learning activities, including a complete sample set of AFM's "The Basics" fact sheet series; drinking and driving, gambling, crystal meth and tobacco awareness activities; information on how to help someone quit smoking; substance use and mental health; The Tree of Me...Resiliency/Personal Identity; highlights of the AFM reports Alcohol and Other Drug Use by Manitoba Students and Student Gambling Report, and much more.
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Other information and activities, including the Canadian Health Network Information Scavenger Hunt, Mapping Community Resources, Workplace Wellness, Parenting for Prevention, and highlights of the Costs of Substance Abuse in Canada 2002 report.
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A matrix linking MAAW activities to the learning outcomes of Manitoba physical education/health education curriculum.
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A list of websites, including fact sheets, learning activities and information available in English and French.
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AFM Library and other community resources.
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Special promotional item: Choose to wear your message with this year's new silicone ring imprinted with the word "Courage", reflecting this year's theme, and the MAAW website address. Limited quantities of these multi-coloured, bilingual rings are available free to schools, community groups and workplaces.
The kit also contains many ideas for planning and promoting addictions awareness events/activities during Addictions Awareness Week and throughout the year. For more information on kit contents or ordering promotional items, contact Sheila at AFM Library, 204-944-6367, or sduprey@afm.mb.ca or Gwennette at 944-6281 or gcharles@afm.mb.ca. Check out the MAAW website at http://www.afm.mb.ca/maaw.
Addictions Awareness Week in Newfoundland and Labrador will be kicked off on Monday, Nov. 20. The theme for the second year in a row will be Get Up On It. Teens will be encouraged to go to the http://www.getuponit.ca website for more information. This year there will be additional focus on alcohol. An Addictions Awareness Week poster has been developed with alcohol messaging for youth.
Our theme for Addictions Awareness Week speaks to what we want teens to do. Stop. Get up on it. Get the facts. Get up on the facts related to drinking, drug use and gambling. We want teens to be more informed about the various dangers related to these activities before they make a choice. We know that prevention is key when it comes to teens experimenting with alcohol, drugs or gambling. We want to make it easy for teens to find out more information about these topics.
The AAW launch event will take place at a St. John's Junior High School with media coverage. Promotional latex key rings will be distributed bearing the "get up on it" logo. As well, there will be the announcement of a provincial contest for students. Students will have the opportunity to develop a Web page that will be featured on the "get up in it" website. The prize will be a $3,000 tuition voucher for post-secondary education.
There are many activities happening all across the province within the four health regions, including presentations; family skating events; scavenger hunts; staff trivia contests; essay, poster and colouring contests; sponsored coffee breaks; placemat contests; community bonfires; and many, many other activities.
For more information, contact Renee Ryan, Addictions Consultant, Department of Health and Community Services at 709-729-1335 or at ReneeCRyan@gov.nl.ca .
The focus of Addiction Awareness Week in Nova Scotia is on celebrating and raising awareness about the work of Addiction Services in Nova Scotia communities as well as drawing attention to the impact of alcohol on the health and well-being of Nova Scotians. A new provincial public education campaign (Extreme Drinking, A Dangerous Way to Party) will be launched, aimed at young adults 19-29 years of age who over-drink.
District Addiction Services staff and volunteers, together with community partners, have a variety of events planned throughout the province. Some highlights include: a health fair, movie night, family skate, and a blue grass concert with mocktail bar (Cumberland Health Authority); a flag-raising ceremony, acupuncture demonstration, campus movie night, and talent show with mocktail bar (Colchester East Hants Health Authority); Alcohol 101: Myths and Facts presentations during classes at Cape Breton University, and school and community presentations (Cape Breton Health Authority, Guysborough-Antigonish-Strait Health Authority); Halifax Mooseheads Hockey Team radio PSAs to be broadcast in the HRM listening area (Capital Health); artwork by young "weather watchers" depicting positive lifestyle choices to be highlighted by ATV meteorologist Peter Coade throughout the week (Capital Health); and many more school and community events.
For more information about Addictions Awareness Week events in Nova Scotia, contact Barbara Miles, Coordinator, Prevention & Community Education, Addiction Services, Nova Scotia Health Promotion, at 902-424-7220 or email: MILESBD@gov.ns.ca, or visit http://www.gov.ns.ca/hpp/ (click on Addiction Prevention).
Drug Awareness Week (DAW) (November 20-26)
The Ontario Drug Awareness Partnership (ODAP) and its Drug Awareness Committees are responsible for the majority of the province's Drug Awareness Week events and resources. ODAP is sponsored by Parent Action on Drugs with funding from the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care, Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Branch.
The TALK campaign will once again be the focus of Drug Awareness Week. This is the third year of a four-year campaign to increase awareness, understanding and positive communication around drug and alcohol issues. This campaign is expected to generate discussion, interest and media coverage of "talk" initiatives. TALK promotional materials include post-it notes, note pads, TALK white magnetic boards, stickers and conversation starters.
New educational resources for this year include Scratch and Learn cards that provide an interesting way to address the issues of alcohol, marijuana, and medication use by seniors. The cards are available in English and French. For the younger set, ODAP is providing 1" by 1" tattoos. Messages are being developed for high school students to be used as announcements during the week and perhaps beyond. ODAP is also offering interior bus ads that have been designed in a format that can be used by local bus services.
For more information, contact Bev Woods, ODAP Coordinator, at 519-824-4434, 1‑866-202-2146 or by e-mail at odapprograms@rogers.com. Check out the ODAP website at http://www.odap.org/
The Ottawa office of the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) will present a special forum called Dazed and Confused: Problematic Marijuana Use Among Teens on Thursday evening, Nov. 23, at Rideau High School, 815 St. Laurent Blvd.
The forum, co-sponsored by the Champlain Addiction Coordinating Body and the Ottawa Integrated Drugs and Addictions Strategy, will explore the stages of addiction from experimentation to dependence, its impact on the individual, family, school and community, and how parents, teachers and service providers can respond.
The event will feature Kathleen Szirtes, M.S.W., a specialist in youth mental health and substance abuse prevention and treatment and author of an educational resource on marijuana use to be released in 2007. A panel of parents and teens will be moderated by Alana Kainz, journalist and co-chair of the Ottawa Integrated Drugs and Addictions Strategy. No registration is required, and admission and parking are free.
For more information on this event, please contact Peter Williams, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, 613-569-6024, ext. 8213 or peter_williams@camh.net. For other Drug and Addictions Awareness Week events, please visit http://www.ottawa.ca/city_hall/integrated_strategy/awareness_week/index_en.html.
In support of Drug Awareness Week, 2006, Parent Action on Drugs has announced the launch of the What's With Weed program, a youth-driven, peer-led program to address the risks and realities of marijuana use. Parent Action on Drugs has sponsored the development of this program with partners from health promotion, youth treatment and Ontario youth aged 15-18. The activities and resources developed were evaluated over the past year with seven high schools in both the Toronto and Grey Bruce regions.
The resources developed include:
For youth-a youth website where youth who use marijuana can check themselves out and identify strategies to reduce, avoid or prevent problems (http://www.whatswithweed.ca); mock matchbooks with information on the website
For parents-postcards with information about some of the key risks for youth and marijuana; parent website: http://www.parentactionondrugs.org
For professionals-a What's With Weed kit, which includes a step-by-step coordinator's guide to replicate the program in your community, plus a DVD of youth who talk about their marijuana use, what problems occurred for them and ways they changed to reduce, avoid or prevent these problems.
Drug Awareness Committee members, youth treatment professionals and health promotion staff have an opportunity to learn more about the What's With Weed program in a 90-minute Learning Teleconference to be held on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. To register, contact pad@parentactionondrugs.org with the subject heading What's With Weed Teleconference.
PEI does not have a DAW coordinator and activities at the regional level are limited. For information on addictions services in PEI, please go to http://www.gov.pe.ca/hss/addiction/index.php3 .
Quebec's Drug Awareness Week runs this year from November 19 to 25, under the theme of C'mon, let's talk. As in previous years, the Ministry of Health and Social Services, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Recreation and Sport, and the Quebec Automobile Insurance Corporation, will be distributing information to elementary, secondary, and junior college students to raise their awareness and make them better informed about alcohol and other drugs, in particular about the risks and consequences of using them.
Material for parents and other significant adults is also available. C'mon, let's talk is meant to encourage young people and adults to talk and break the silence that affects many people whether or not they experience problematic drug use. Speaking frankly is often a first step in the right direction in helping young people make informed decisions.
The week will include a C'mon, let's talk contest for Grade 5 and 6 elementary school students, and another for secondary school students. A third context called "What's the combination" is aimed at junior college students. As well as offering the possibility of winning prizes, this contest conveys some important information about addictions. Check out the contest forms to find out how to enter to win cool prizes!
There is a new Drug Awareness Week website this year at http://www.dependances.gouv.qc.ca/
Coinciding with Drug and Addictions Awareness Week, the Centre québécois de lutte aux dépendances (Quebec Centre on Addictions) has announced a new edition of the popular book, Drogues: savoir plus, risquer moins (Drugs: Know the Facts, Cut Your Risks). Since it first appeared in 2001, the book has sold more than 125,000 copies in Quebec -- a testament to the interest the public has in the subject and to the need for a handy, easy-to-read guide to drug information. Thanks to support from the Ministry of Health and Social Services, the book can be offered to the public for only $3.95. It is available in bookstores throughout the province or from the Centre. For more information, contact Michel Germain at 514-389-6336, or go to http://www.cqld.ca/cqld/cqld.0.a.php.
In the Outaouais region, there is a new Drug Awareness Week campaign using the slogan, Your child is watching you. This theme is meant to remind adults that they are role models for their children and that they need to ask themselves what kind of messages their children are picking up from their behaviour and lifestyle. The best way to encourage your child to adopt a healthy way of life is to set a good example.
Saskatchewan Addictions Awareness Week (SAAW) activities are organized around the theme, Reality Check -- an effort to raise awareness of the facts surrounding addictions to alcohol, drugs, tobacco and gambling. Local organizers say it is especially important to get accurate information to youth.
Regional Health Authority initiatives
For the last several years, activities in the province have been planned and implemented by members of the SAAW Committee, which includes addictions workers from regional health authorities and community-based organizations, as well as the RCMP, Health Canada and Saskatchewan Health.
Resource binders containing fact sheets, games, activities, press releases, posters and other materials are distributed to all health regions in a CD format. Materials are designed to be adapted and customized for local use by communities throughout the province. This helps health regions to plan special events in their communities during SAAW, and supports alcohol and drug education initiatives throughout the year. A number of materials from the CD are posted on the Saskatchewan Health website at http://www.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/your_health/ps_addic_profresources.htm.
For additional information about SAAW, contact Laurel Mackie, Chair of the SAAW Committee. Tel.: 306-688-8291; e-mail: cadac@sasktel.net.
Saskatchewan Health Initiatives
Saskatchewan Health provides support to the SAAW Committee by helping to develop or review materials, funding the production of CDs containing resource materials, and printing of posters. A number of materials from the CD are posted on the Saskatchewan Health website (see link above).
The Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Directorate, Community Care Branch, Saskatchewan Health, has developed facts sheets, a parenting resource and other materials to be posted on the Saskatchewan Health website.
Saskatchewan Health is also currently developing a social marketing and ad campaign aimed at 19-29 year olds, which is to be launched in conjunction with SAAW 2006. The goals of the campaign are to reduce the harms and problems related to high-risk drinking practices among Saskatchewan citizens. In addition to a literature and website review, focus groups were held with 19-29 year olds to inform this campaign as well as broader work in the area of alcohol denormalization.
For more information, contact Marta England, Supervisor, Alcohol and Drug Education and Prevention Directorate Community Care Branch, Saskatchewan Health. Tel.: 306-787-9282; e-mail: mengland@health.gov.sk.ca .
National Addictions Awareness Week (NAAW) was conceptualized and developed by Nechi Training, Research and Health Promotions Institute (Nechi) in 1989 to promote activities at the national level. The purpose of NAAW is to provide information, materials and promotion of activities in both English and French that serve to raise awareness of addictions and their affect on people across Canada.
In 1988, the Keep the Circle Strong theme was adopted from Coppermine, a small community in the Northwest Territories, which used it for several years to promote their addictions awareness week campaign. The slogan conveys the message of a circle of individuals, families, communities and nations who have chosen a healthy lifestyle free from addictions. It also exemplifies the constant forward movement of the circle of life for all people and all nations, encouraging balance and harmony. Through the community host contest, each community is able to develop its own theme and Nechi then chooses one of them every year as an overall theme.
The Community Host for 2006 is Norway House Cree Nation in Manitoba, a growing community known for its annual York Boat Days celebration. In honour of this traditional celebration and week long event, this year's NAAW theme is Rowing Into Healthier Lifestyles. Christine Rowden, LPN and National Addictions Awareness Week is organizing events such as hockey night, gospel singing, a traditional pow-wow, community wellness night, display and information booths.
Please contact NAAW Coordinator Christine Rowden at NHCN for more information on the NAAW Kick-off 2006. Tel.: 1-204-359-6555; e-mail: rcassandra@hotmail.com .
The Canadian Home and School Federation (CHSF), the country's first established voice for parents, is busy helping parent leaders across Canada to inform parents to prevent substance abuse. The national project, which underlines the importance of National Drug and Addictions Awareness Week, is bringing high-quality information to parents across Canada. The project uses "parent power", the existing network of CHSF parent organizations and willing, able volunteers to transmit the information.
With funding from Health Canada's Community Initiatives Fund, CHSF had an expert gather together the best resources for individual parents, for parent volunteers and for parent leaders. These resources include fact sheets and tips for parents, how-to manuals and programs in areas such as Safe Grads and Mentoring for parent volunteers and advice on mobilizing parents and advocating for better school and community programs for parent leaders. CHSF activities underline the importance of the project during National Drug and Addictions Week, Nov. 19-25.
For more information or to arrange an interview, contact Donna Norris, Office Administrator at the CHSF office at 1-613-798-2837; fax: 613-798-2838; email: chsf@bellnet.ca; http://www.canadianhomeandschool.com
The Council of the Federation has launched a national public awareness campaign to make young people, and parents more aware of the dangers of crystal meth and other addictive drugs. Coinciding with Addictions Awareness Week, the campaign aims to mitigate the devastating impact of these dangerous and addictive substances.
The two-pronged campaign uses online and newspaper advertising to direct youth and their parents to resources where they can get help and information. As part of the campaign, two websites have been created: http://www.TalkingWithYourKids.ca for parents, and http://www.GetTheFactsOnDrugs.ca for youth.
The Council of the Federation is composed of all 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively to strengthen the Canadian federation by fostering a constructive relationship among the provinces and territories, and with the federal government.
For more information: Elizabeth Matthews, Office of the Premier of Newfoundland & Labrador, 709-729-3960, 709-351-1227; Jay Branch, Office of the Premier of Saskatchewan, 306-787-6349; Loretta O'Connor, Council of the Federation Secretariat, 613-563-4066; http://www.councilofthefederation.ca/.
DND has prepared material for all Canadian Forces bases in Canada and are continuing for the second year with the theme of Stop and Think Before you Drink to encourage responsible drinking and promote Low-Risk Drinking Guidelines.
DND has developed an Addictions Awareness Week kit for all Health Promotion staff, which includes posters, pamphlets, several short information articles, mocktails and drink insulators as giveaways. These materials will be posted on a website for all military personal.
For more information, contact Deanne Chafe, MSW, RSW, at 613-392-2811, ext. 4324; fax: 613-965-7082; e-mail: Chafe.DA@forces.gc.ca |
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