‘This, in my opinion, would only help to enable kids to take drugs,’ says concerned parent after CMHA distributed leaflet to students
A guide on how to use cocaine, titled “Safer Snorting,” was recently handed out to students at a Simcoe County high school by staff from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), leading to a backlash from local parents.
Brett Buccos, who also goes by James online, shared in a Facebook group that students at Barrie North Collegiate Institute received the booklet.
“This is absolutely despicable,” he stated in his post. “Yes, we all know our kids will do what they want when they’re not home, but giving them a book that teaches them how to safely snort coke is wrong on so many levels.”
Reactions to the online post were quick, with many commenters expressing their anger about the situation.
“This cannot be allowed,” Buccos wrote. “There’s no safe way of snorting coke, and this, in my opinion, would only help to enable kids to take drugs.”
The booklet featured an illustration of a yellow straw and a line of cocaine on its cover. Inside, it contained details about how to use the illegal drug.
“The best way to prevent harms when snorting is to use your own equipment and not share with others,” it reads.
A guide about cocaine use was recently distributed among students at a Barrie high school by workers with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), causing an uproar by parents. | Photo courtesy Brett Buccos
The literature suggests users personalize their snorting equipment as it will “help you better recognize your own when using with others. Some people add a piece of tape to their tubes or use colored paper as their straw.”
There are also tips on personal care while using the drug.
“After snorting, your nose may feel raw and irritated. Here are some ways to help reduce damage to your nasal passages and keep them healthy: rinse the inside of your nose after snorting, dab your fingers in sterile water and sniff the water up your nose until you feel it run down your throat. This will make your nose feel less irritated and will help move along any drugs that are left,” and “switch nostrils to give each side a break.”
They further advise users to “crush substances (especially crystal meth) into a fine powder before snorting” and “use vitamin E oil, saline spray, sinus rinse or a water-based lubricant to soothe the inside of your nose and help it heal.”
With parental anger escalating online, the principal at the high school released a statement shortly after.
“Yesterday (May 5), as part of Mental Health Week, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) was at the school during lunch hour,” principal Kim Hand said in a message sent out to parents.
“Students were invited to engage with CMHA for information and resources that might be relevant for them. We understand that harm-reduction material was made available which has raised some concerns,” Hand wrote.
“We have taken this matter seriously and have reviewed these concerns with our community partner. This will ensure that future resources made available align appropriately with harm-reduction education as outlined in Ontario’s curriculum expectations.”
“We continue prioritizing student well-being and apologize for any distress this has caused,” added the principal.
In an email response regarding questions posed by parents, Ontario CMHA chief executive officer Camille Quenneville stated that the organization “does not seek to promote or normalize substance use among youth. We regret that unvetted materials were distributed in this context.”
“We are working closely with our local branch to review and strengthen our content approval processes so all materials are suitable for their intended audiences and aligned with best practices as well as community expectations,” she noted.
Quenneville emphasized that harm-reduction education is “designed to provide accurate evidence-based information aimed at reducing risks related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. We remain committed delivering this information discreetly thoughtfully and appropriately for age.”
In an interview on Thursday, Buccos expressed dissatisfaction with responses from both the school board and CMHA.
“Absolutely not,” he said. “It’s very vague response. It’s not really taking responsibility or accountability whatsoever. It doesn’t provide appropriate answers because everyone wants clarity on why this happened.”
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