Health and Community Services
November 17, 2008

Youth Encouraged to Draw Their Own Conclusions

The Provincial Government�s annual Addictions Awareness Week campaign, Get Up On It, encourages students to get the facts and draw their own conclusions when it comes to marijuana use. The Honourable Ross Wiseman, Minister of Health and Community Services, joined over 400 students from grades seven through 12 in Clarenville High school today to launch this year�s campaign and kick off Addictions Awareness Week, which runs from November 17-23.

"As students enter high school, they face some challenging decisions and can often hear mixed and inaccurate messages, especially when it comes to substance use," said Minister Wiseman. "Youth need to hear the facts so they can make informed decisions. That�s an important part of growing up and it�s exactly what we�re hoping to accomplish through this year�s Get Up On It campaign."

This year, the Get Up On It campaign features a series of three posters and website banner ads that focus on three key facts about marijuana use � its effect on ambition and interest, its effect on driving and reaction time, and the harmful and unknown toxins and addictive additives generally found in marijuana. The banner ads will appear on websites frequently used by youth including MSN, Facebook and Empire Theatres, and can only be viewed by people accessing the sites from Newfoundland and Labrador.

A new component of the campaign this year gives students the opportunity to design their own clothing line. Students can submit their own drawings to help promote the anti-addictions message in a T-shirt design contest. The winner will receive 100 t-shirts and 10 hoodies printed with his or her design. Contest details and this year�s campaign information can be found on www.getuponit.ca.

"Our latest Student Drug Use Survey shows that just over 70 per cent of high school students surveyed in our province have not smoked marijuana within the last year and that�s another important fact youth need to be aware of," said Minister Wiseman. "More and more, students are choosing not to smoke marijuana and we need to combat the �everyone is doing it perception� because it simply is not the case."

Get Up On It was introduced in 2005 to educate youth on the effects of drugs, alcohol and problem gambling and to encourage them to stay real and follow their dreams. Each year, the campaign takes on a new focus for the prevention of adolescent substance use and gambling problems.

Through $14.6 million in new annual funding, the Provincial Government has strengthened mental health and addictions services through such initiatives as the addition of 34 new positions in addictions services across the province, a new adolescent day treatment program, a new provincial addictions centre in Corner Brook, a new provincial campaign targeted towards problem gambling, and province-wide consultations on substance use.

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Media contact:
Glenda Power
Director of Communications
Department of Health and Community Services
709-729-1377, 685-1741
glendapower@gov.nl.ca

2008 11 17                                                    9:10 a.m.


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