‘This can’t be allowed. There’s no safe way to snort coke, and this, in my opinion, would only encourage kids to use drugs,’ says worried parent.
A guide on how to take cocaine, called “Safer Snorting,” was recently handed out to students at a Barrie high school by staff from the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), sparking outrage among 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 unacceptable,” he wrote in his post. “Yes, we know our kids will do what they want when they’re not home, but giving out a booklet that teaches them how to safely snort coke is wrong on so many levels.”
Reactions to the post were quick, with many commenters expressing their anger about the situation.
“This can’t be allowed,” Buccos added. “There’s no safe way of snorting coke, and this would only help enable kids to take drugs.”
The booklet featured an illustration of a yellow straw and a line of cocaine on its cover. Inside were instructions on how to use the illegal drug.
“The best way to prevent harm when snorting is to use your own equipment and not share with others,” it stated.
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 material suggested users personalize their snorting tools since it will “help you better recognize your own when using with others. Some people add tape or colored paper as identifiers for their straws.”
There was also information on personal care while using the drug.
“After snorting, your nose may feel raw and irritated. Here are some ways to reduce damage: rinse inside your nose after using, dab sterile water onto your fingers and sniff it up your nose until it runs down your throat. This can ease irritation and clear leftover drugs,” along with “switch nostrils periodically for balance.”
The advice continued with recommendations like “crushing substances (especially crystal meth) into fine powder before snorting” and “using vitamin E oil or saline spray to soothe nasal passages and aid healing.”
With parental frustration rising online, the principal at Grove Street East high school quickly addressed concerns in a statement sent out soon after.
“Yesterday (May 5), during Mental Health Week, CMHA visited our school over lunch,” principal Kim Hand said in her message obtained by Barrie Today.
“Students were invited to engage with CMHA for relevant information and resources. We understand that a harm-reduction resource was made available that has raised concerns,” Hand stated. “We take this matter seriously and have discussed these concerns with our community partner. This ensures future resources align properly with harm-reduction education as outlined in Ontario’s curriculum expectations.”
“We continue prioritizing student well-being and apologize for any concern this has caused,” she added.
In response via email to questions from Barrie Today, Ontario CMHA CEO Camille Quenneville mentioned that the organization “does not aim to promote or normalize substance use among youth. We regret that unvetted materials were given out in this context.”
“We’re closely working with our local branch to review our content approval processes so all materials fit their intended audiences and follow best practices,” she continued.
Quenneville emphasized that harm-reduction education is “designed to provide accurate information aimed at lowering risks of injury, illness and death. We’re committed to delivering this information thoughtfully for young audiences.”
Diving deeper into his thoughts during an interview with Barrie Today on Thursday, Buccos expressed dissatisfaction with both the school board’s response and CMHA’s reply.
“Absolutely not,” he said firmly. “It’s too vague of an answer-there’s no real accountability here or clarity provided because everyone wants answers about why this happened.”
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