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EAST KOOTENAY ADDICTIONS SERVICES SOCIETY

Youth Substance Use Counsellor - Invermere, BC

Closing Date: September 15, 2020 

East Kootenay Addiction Services Society is hiring a permanent part-time 0.8 FTE Youth Substance Use Counsellor for our Invermere location.

Job Summary:

Working from a Harm Reduction perspective and a Bio-psycho-social-spiritual model, the Youth Substance Use Counsellor provides screening, assessment, treatment planning and individual, group and family counselling to youth and their families affected by their own or someone else’s substance misuse. In addition, the Counsellor participates in the planning, development and delivery of treatment, education and prevention programs to youth, families, schools and other community groups in the Invermere area; and provides outreach services to youth in non-traditional settings.

Qualifications:

• Minimum of a Bachelor’s Degree in an appropriate discipline suitable for substance use work such as Social Work, Counselling Psychology, and minimum of three-years relevant substance use experience.
• Experience and training working with individuals, groups and families
• Experience and training working with youth with concurrent disorder issues
• Working knowledge of the mental health and substance use system of care, including a comprehensive understanding of current approaches to substance abuse and mental health treatment.

Skills and Abilities:

• Be flexible and use analytical and critical thinking to respond to changing work conditions
• Provide therapeutic counselling services to individuals, groups and families
• Communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing, and maintain accurate and timely reports
• Establish and maintain relationships based on trust and respect, and maintain healthy interpersonal boundaries with work colleagues, community partners and clients
• Develop and implement public education and prevention activities for various community groups with a Harm Reduction focus
• Work with an inter-disciplinary team approach
• Demonstrate adherence to professional ethical values
• Maintain valid driver’s license.  Must have own vehicle
• Hold a Valid first aid/CPR certification
• Provide a current Criminal Record Clearance

Salary: Commensurate with Health Science Professionals Bargaining Association and HEABC, Disciplines Allied to Social Work I, Grid Level 8

Submit cover letter and resume to:

Dean Nicholson, Executive Director

East Kootenay Addiction Services Society

202, 1617 Baker Street

Cranbrook, BC, V1C 1B4

Fax:  250-489-1020

Email:  [email protected]

Only those selected for interview will be contacted.

International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is a global event held on August 31st each year. The day aims raise awareness of overdose and reduce the stigma of drug-related death. It also acknowledge the grief felt by families and friend remembering those who have met with death or permanent injury as a result of drug overdose. 

To help reduce the risk of overdose:

• Buddy up when you are using, stay 2 meters (6 ft) from your buddy to remain physically distanced, but remember using with a buddy is safer than using alone!
• Remember, smoking substances can still lead to overdose, take measures to prevent overdose.      
• Avoid using different drugs at the same time or using drugs and alcohol together. 
• Don’t use alone. Leave door unlocked. Tell someone to check on you.
• If you feel you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app www.lifeguardDH.com which can connect you with emergency medical dispatchers in the event of an overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.  
• Test by using a small amount, then go slow.
• Carry a Naloxone kit and know how to use it. Naloxone is available at:
  • ANKORS, EKASS, IH Public Health & Mental Health Substance Use Locations
  • Pharmacies located throughout Cranbrook
  • Recognize the signs of an OD: slow or no breathing, gurgling or gasping, lips/fingertips turning blue, difficult to rouse (awaken), non-responsive.
  • Call 9-1-1 immediately It is still safe (and important) to use emergency services during the COVID -19 pandemic
  • Open airway and give rescue breaths using face mask
  • Give naloxone (Narcan) if you have it
• Check your drugs. Fentanyl test strips are available at:

ANKORS #209 – 16th Ave North Cranbrook  250-426-3383

                        EKASS – 202 1617 Baker Street  250-489-4344

www.drugchecking.ca

CRANBROOK DRUG ALERT 

Interior Heath has issued a Drug Alert for Cranbrook due to drug checking results through ANKORS that revealed highly toxic levels of fentanyl and benzodiazepines in a DARK PURPLE pebbly substance. People who use drugs are reporting passing out for extended periods of time after consuming this substance.  

If you wish to share this alert with others – please note that this alert is localized to the community of CRANBROOK only. If you choose to display this poster, please remove by June 23rd, 2020 as per best practices.

Thank you for your help in getting this important information out.  

For your safety:

Buddy up when you are using, stay 2 meters (6 ft) from your buddy to remain physically distanced, but remember using with a buddy is safer than using alone!

Get your drugs checked - available at ANKORS and East Kootenay Addictions Services Society. More info: www.drugchecking.ca

Remember, smoking substances can still lead to overdose, take measures to prevent overdose.      

Avoid using different drugs at the same time or using drugs and alcohol together. 

Don’t use alone. Leave door unlocked. Tell someone to check on you.

If you feel you must use while alone, consider using the Lifeguard app which can connect you with emergency medical dispatchers in the event of an overdose. Download at the App Store or Google Play.  

Test by using a small amount, then go slow.

Carry a Naloxone kit and know how to use it.

Know the signs of overdose and how to respond 

Recognize the signs of an OD: slow or no breathing, gurgling or gasping, lips/fingertips turning blue, difficult to rouse (awaken), non-responsive.

Call 9-1-1 immediately It is still safe (and important) to use emergency services during the COVID -19 pandemic

Open airway and give rescue breaths using face mask

Give naloxone (Narcan) if you have it.

Naloxone is available at:

ANKORS, EKASS, IH Public Health & Mental Health Substance Use Locations

Pharmacies located throughout Cranbrook

Drug checking is available at:

ANKORS #209 – 16th Ave North Cranbrook250-426-3383

EKASS – 250-489-4344

www.drugchecking.ca

For more resources and links related to overdose and substance use, visit: https://www.interiorhealth.ca/AboutUs/Leadership/MHO/Pages/PHEmergency.aspx

Mind full or Mindful?

East Kootenay Addictions Services Society is offering a 4 week Mindfulness Skills Training Group (once a week, for 2 hours on Tuesdays) for anyone who would like to reduce their suffering and learn to live a happier, more peaceful life. For more information and to register for this free series, contact Kari or Eleine at 250-489-4344

Cranbrook Food Resources

Food Resources

Cranbrook Townsman Article

Paul Rodgers - March 30,2020

With COVID-19 dominating headlines it can be easy to forget about other issues face by groups of people in society that haven’t gone away. Drug and alcohol abuse, for example, is still a prevalent issue that, if anything, is adversely impacted by the stress, uncertainty and economic upset accompanying this pandemic.

“I think certainly the whole COVID issue is having potentially a number of different impacts on people who might be having issues with substance use,” Dean Nicholson, executive director and substance use counsellor with East Kootenay Addiction Services Society (EKASS), told the Bulletin.

It’s too early to have official data showing an increase in drug and alcohol use yet, but Nicholson said it is known that people tend to turn to substances more in times of high stress and economic downturn.

Additionally, sales of liquor are up 40 per cent in B.C., but that could be attributed to both some people using alcohol more as well as people stocking up for fears of stores closing, or not wanting to leave the house due to social distancing protocols.

“I think if people have lost their job or if they’re worried about losing their job or other kind of impacts on your daily routine, we know that some people are going to cope by turning to whether it’s alcohol or other substances to manage that,” Nicholson explained. “So I think we could expect that there’s going to be an upturn.”

EKASS, as always, is there to help people dealing with substance use issues, although their offices throughout the East Kootenay are closed, they continue to provide services to all of their clients, including counselling which is now done through telephone or web-based contacts.

Their harm reduction supplies, naloxone kits, safer injection and inhalation kits are all still available through local pharmacies as EKASS continues to supply their community partners with that equipment.

“The face to face contact we’re not able to do but in terms of the services we provide those are continuing,” Nicholson said. “So we want people to know that first and foremost.”

Nicholson advises people to go to their website, www.ekass.com, for instruction on where they can get access to all of those resources and more.

One concern that was immediately raised in the wake of business shutdowns was that liquor stores would close as well.

“… for people who may be alcohol dependent and who are drinking regularly, if they were unable to get access to alcohol there’s a concern that they could go into alcohol withdrawal, which potentially can be fatal,” Nicholson explained.

He said that after seeing some provinces consider the total shutdown of liquor stores, they then reversed that decision, recognizing that in this case there is actually more risk for people through not having access to alcohol.

There is also the issue of alcohol-dependent people who are having to self-isolate, or who are unable to go out and purchase alcohol. While it’s not something EKASS currently does, something they are currently looking at is something called a managed alcohol program.

There isn’t one in this area, but many major urban centres have programs like this, that provide regular, daily alcohol distribution to ensure people aren’t going into alcohol withdrawal.

“Some of the larger centres in Canada particularly if they were sheltered based housing there would be a system where people could come daily to pick up alcohol throughout the day rather than having to get alcohol on the street or other non-beverage types of alcohol.”

Noting the upsurge in alcohol sales in the province amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Nicholson encourages everyone to look at their use patterns, saying that even if someone isn’t using in a way that’s causing them problems right now, they should still be mindful so they prevent themselves from increasing their use as a way of coping with stress.

“Certainly as an agency we recognize that there’s a healthy, social, responsible way that you can use alcohol or to use marijuana, and we don’t discourage people from healthy responsible use, but we certainly look at when people are using as a way of managing stress or managing uncomfortable feelings or managing negative situations,” he explained. “If they’re using to deal with that, that increases the risk that their use becomes problematic.”

Nicholson refers to the provincial lower risk drinking guidelines, which again can be found on the EKASS website.

“If people aren’t sure what a healthy amount of alcohol to use, there are guidelines that say if you’re using at this level then your risk of developing dependency or developing health problems are much lower.”

EKASS has also been posting links to other resources to help people manage stress and anxiety generally, but also in the face of this pandemic.

“We recognize that people are going to be more anxious and have some website links that give people guides on how to do that more effectively,” Nicholson said. “I know that there’s been a huge increase in online services.”

Finally, Nicholson said that because this pandemic is such a rapidly-evolving situation, what he’s said today might be different than what he says a week later, in terms of the programming that’s going on on how EKASS might be trying to respond. As issues that they perhaps haven’t yet thought of come to light, they will need to develop new protocols to respond to them.

March 25, 2020

Dear Clients:

As part of our ongoing response to the Covid-19 pandemic, EKASS has followed the recommendations of the Federal and Provincial Governments, and has closed all our offices effective March 18, 2020.    

To stay in line with the precautions suggested by the Federal Government of self-distancing, this office will be closed indefinitely.  Please check our website www.ekass.com for updated information and links to resources and supports.

We are continuing to provide counselling services to our clients via phone or webbased options.  

Clients on the OAT Program will be contacted by the doctors at the Interior Chemical Dependency Office in Kamloops to ensure that they continue to receive scripts.

Harm Reduction supplies continue to be available as we continue to provide supplies to our community partners.

We recognize that these are stressful times.  We are here to support you and want people to stay in touch as we navigate this situation together.  If you have questions or concerns, or to book an appointment, please call the Cranbrook office at 250-489-4344 for further information.  We will be checking the phones messages daily and responding as quickly as we can.

Managing the COVID-19 Virus

March 16, 2020

Dear Clients:

As you are no doubt aware, the Covid-19 Virus is creating challenges around the world.  

At East Kootenay Addiction Services Society we are committed to providing quality services while doing what we can to limit the spread of the virus.  With this in mind for the next 6 weeks we are requiring the following: 

1. If you feel ill or have flu-like symptoms please do not come to your appointment at EKASS.  Contact our office and let us know of your situation.  Our counsellors will continue to make themselves available for appointments through telephone contact, email contact or Skype or other web-based networking programs.
2. If you are coming for an appointment please follow the BC Health guidelines of washing your hands, keeping a distance of 6 feet from other people when possible, and not shaking hands.

We recognize that these are stressful times.  We are here to support you and want people to stay in touch as we navigate this situation together.

This is the second of two articles regarding information about treatment -- what it is and what it isn't' and the different formats that describe treatment. The series is written by East Kootenay Addiction Services' Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services.

As a new story seems to come out daily about the fentanyl problem and what’s being done to address it, it would be understandable if many people were confused about what services and programs are available to assist people with substance use problems.  This article will outline some of the major components and approaches to substance use treatment and how they relate to the current fentanyl problem. 

Firstly, it must be said that not everyone who is experiencing a problem with substances such as alcohol, marijuana, cocaine or fentanyl is necessarily ‘addicted’ in the strict clinical term.  Substance use falls along a continuum from ‘no-use’ through ‘social use’ through ‘problematic use’, and finally ‘dependent or addicted use’.  The type of services that could help will depend on where a person’s use falls on the continuum and what changes they want to make.

Secondly, substance use problems are no longer viewed as a ‘stand-alone’ issue.  It is generally recognized that most people who struggle with substance use problems also have other concerns, such as depression or anxiety, housing and financial problems, relationship problems etc.  It is not enough to deal with the substance use; to make lasting change people often need support in a number of areas of their lives.

With this being said, what are the different components of substance use treatment?  At East Kootenay Addictions Services (EKASS) we believe that treatment starts as soon as someone contacts us.  Reaching out for help means treatment has begun.    After that there are various services that a person could become involved with depending on their situation.

Withdrawal Management:  Often referred to as ‘detox’ or a ‘dry out center’.  Withdrawal management assists people in the initial physical withdrawal that they may experience as they stop using substances.  This could take place at home with outside support, in a withdrawal management center such as Ponderosa House in Cranbrook, or at a local hospital when other medical complications might be present.  People are usually only in a withdrawal program for 5-10 days, depending on the substance, although some substances may take longer to taper off of.  There is no cost for approved withdrawal management services.

Outpatient Counselling:  Outpatient counselling is often the first type of treatment that people access.  People are seen by a trained substance use counsellor who assists them in identifying the problems they are having, developing goals, implementing strategies and connecting them with other services that may be helpful.  At EKASS we see people at our offices, but can also meet people at other locations if that is easier.  There are no costs for people to access outpatient counselling at provincially funded mental health and substance use offices.

Residential Treatment Programs:  This is what most people think of as ‘treatment’ although in reality it is just one type of service.  Residential Programs can run from 6 weeks up to 3 months or more.  The programs offer group counselling in a secure live-in environment.   In B.C. some programs have been accredited and some have not.  Being accredited means that the program has been thoroughly reviewed by an outside evaluator and that the treatment program, the facilities, the staff and the policies all meet an accepted level.  All residential treatment programs have a cost for the user.  If a residential program is run by an accredited not-for-profit society and has an agreement with the Ministry of Health, then a number of beds will be subsidized as $40.00 per day beds.  People usually access these beds through a referral from an substance use counsellor. For people on Income Assistance the program costs are usually covered.   Non-subsidized beds in not-for-profit programs typically run around $120.00 per day.  People can access these beds without a referral from a substance use counsellor.  Private for-profit residential programs can cost upwards of $15,000 per month.  The philosophy of treatment at residential programs generally falls into one of two approaches:  12 Step Programs and Holistic Programs.  The main difference between these approaches is the emphasis on the 12 Step or Minnesota Model of recovery.  Both types of programs use group counselling as a primary counselling strategy. Aboriginal residential programs will usually include aboriginal healing practices as well.  Helping people find the program that is the best match for them is part of what an substance use counsellor does when working with a client.  Residential programs have waitlists, but these can vary from a few days to a number of months, depending on the program.

Harm Reduction Programming:  In one sense all substance use programming aims to reduce the harms associated with using.  In a more specific sense though, in relation to the fentanyl crisis this can refer to two types of programming:  Opioid Replacement Programs and the Take Home Naloxone Program. 

Opioid Replacement Programs: are programs that help someone get off of opioids like heroin, morphine, fentanyl etc, by replacing them with another opioid, such as Methadone or Suboxone.  The purpose of going on Methadone or Suboxone is to prevent the person from going into withdrawal.  Avoiding the pain and sickness associated with withdrawal from opioids is usually the primary reason people keep using.  By having a regular dose of Methadone or Suboxone a person does not go into withdrawal and does not have to engage in the kinds of behaviours that will allow them to keep using.  People are able to stabilize their lives and begin to work on changing other problem areas.  When they are on the proper dose, people do not experience a ‘high’ from Methadone or Suboxone.  There is a lot of monitoring that goes with the program.  In the early stages people often have to get their medication each morning at a pharmacy.  They will have meetings with the prescribing physician every two to four weeks, and they will be required to provide urine samples to show that they are not misusing other opioids.  Despite some of the restrictions these requirements place on a person, research shows that people on an Opioid Replacement Program are less likely to relapse and go back to using.  This means they are at less risk of overdose than people who try to quit opioids on their own.   Furthermore, when people are maintained on an Opioid Replacement Program they are able to create stability in their lives and began working on other concerns to further improve their well-being.   Although any doctor can prescribe Suboxone after a short on-line course, one of the biggest barriers for people getting on to an Opioid Replacement Program is the lack of prescribing doctors.  At EKASS we operate a weekly Telehealth Clinic in which our clients have access to a prescribing doctor in Kamloops. 

Take Home Naloxone Program:  The Take Home Naloxone Program was developed in large part in response to the fentanyl crisis.  Naloxone or Narcan is a drug that when taken helps to reverse an opioid overdose.  Naloxone has been around for decades and has been used by paramedics and hospital emergency departments.  In B.C. the Take Home Naloxone Program has sought to get Naloxone kits into the hands of people at risk for opioid overdose.  Kits are available at a wide range of locations and eligible people can receive a free kit after taking part in a short training program.  At EKASS we have been dispensing kits for nearly two years, and there are many other locations in the East Kootenay where people can receive free kits.

This article has described some of the common components of addictions treatment in British Columbia.  For more information about services offered through EKASS please visit our website at www.ekass.com or call us at 1-800-489-4344.

This is the first of two articles regarding information about treatment -- what it is and what it isn't' and the different formats that describe treatment. The series is written by East Kootenay Addiction Services' Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

Over the past number of months there has been a lot of media focus on the fentanyl crisis in B.C.  Many of the stories have talked about the lack of treatment, or the wait for treatment, often with the subtext that if people could have gotten treatment than the problem would have been solved.  But what exactly is ‘addictions treatment’ and how does it work?

We typically think of ‘treatment’ as some kind of intervention that brings about a ‘cure’ or an end to the problems we’ve been having.  Antibiotics are a good example.  We are sick with an infection, we do a treatment of antibiotics which kills the bacteria, and in a few weeks we are back to our normal health.  Dealing with addiction problems is very different.   Addictions treatment does not provide a ‘cure’, nor does the problem go away.  ‘Treatment Centers’ are programs where individuals typically stay for 2-3 months.  These programs provide structure, opportunity for group and individual counselling and support, education, safety, regular food and social connection.  But despite what certain programs might say, they cannot provide a ‘cure’ to addiction.  Any program that promises to cure someone of their addiction is selling a bill of goods.

Why isn’t there a cure for addiction or substance abuse?  Addiction and substance abuse are basically brain disorders.  People use substances for a variety of reasons, but one of the main reasons is because they like the way substances make them feel, at least in the beginning.  Our brain is designed to turn behaviours that we do repeatedly into habits.   The thinking part of our brain doesn’t have to be involved as much, and a deeper part of our brain controls the behaviour.  Think of driving a car – when we first learned we had to pay attention to every single thing we had to do – braking, accelerating, signaling etc.  After a few months we could do most of that without actually thinking about it.  Much of driving had become habitual.  The same thing happens when we use substances.  If we use a substance enough times our brain develops a habit for using, or for using to feel a certain way.   We don’t have to think about how to use, a deeper part of the brain makes it happen.   If we use certain substances long enough, the brain actually goes through physical changes, so that the substance use is regarded as essential to feel a certain way.  As a person progresses from social use to habitual use to addicted use, the amount of choice and control that the person has over using decreases.  When a person has developed an addiction, there is a part of their brain that will control their behaviour and compel them use the substance even when they know it is harming them or that it could kill them. 

The good news is that the brain is remarkably able to rewire itself.  New habits can be learned to replace old harmful habits.  But just as it takes time to develop a habit or an addiction, so too does it take to develop new ways of behaving.  The reality of addiction is that there is no simple way to change a brain.  Even when people want to stop using recovery is a long-term process, often with many setbacks, that requires a lot of effort.  Factor in that many people are ambivalent about changing or stopping their use, and the process becomes even more difficult.  Difficult doesn’t mean impossible, but it does mean that there is no simple ‘cure’, no ‘treatment’ that can be imposed on someone that will make their brain automatically change. 

As a culture we have come to believe that there should be quick fixes.  We don’t like to be uncomfortable or to suffer.  We have a society built around instant gratification.  This expectation is part of what fuels people getting in to trouble with substances, and then it becomes part of what fuels people having unrealistic expectations about recovery.  Does this mean there is no hope?  Absolutely not.  Every day at East Kootenay Addiction Services we see people who are learning to reorganize their lives, develop new skills and move away from addiction towards happy and fulfilling lives.  And what makes those people successful?  They have come to recognize that there isn’t a quick fix.  Life requires ongoing effort and focus, whether that is recovering from an addiction, having a family, or building a career.  Accepting that recovery is a process and not a cure has allowed those people to work realistically and productively towards better lives.

This is the third article in a series on Mindfulness written by Maureen Smith. Maureen is a Substance Use Counsellor at East Kootenay Addiction Services who has an interest in Mindfulness and finding creative ways to incorporate it into her counselling practice. To read more about Mindfulness and how it relates to Substance Use visit our page about Mindfulness in the Resources/Adult section of our website. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services.

This article examines the Philosophy of Harm Reduction and was written by East Kootenay Addiction Services' Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services.

With all the talk about the Fentanyl crisis, the term Harm Reduction is often raised as an approach to deal with the problem.  Many people are unclear what Harm Reduction means and this article hopes to provide some clarification.  Harm Reduction refers to an approach to dealing with substance abuse, where the primary focus is to reduce the harms associated with using substances, rather than the focus being on stopping the use of substances.  This doesn’t mean that stopping or reducing use is not a goal, just that it is not the first goal. Often Harm Reduction is associated with programs like needle exchanges or safe-injection sites; programs in which people continue to use substances but are encouraged to do so in safer ways.  These are definitely Harm Reduction approaches but Harm Reduction casts a much wider net.  Too often in the past Harm Reduction approaches were contrasted with Abstinence approaches, with the two approaches being seen as polar opposites and opposed in principle.   From the Abstinence side, Harm Reduction was often characterized as supporting or encouraging substance use.   For some people on the Abstinence side, people on an Opioid Replacement Program like Suboxone or Methadone (which is one of the best ways to support people to get off Fentanyl) could be criticized for still being addicts because they were still using a drug.   In fact, Abstinence is also a Harm Reduction approach, as is responsible social drinking, as are needle exchanges. 

A problem with the debate around Harm Reduction is that historically society’s focus on drug and alcohol use as been on the behavior itself – on the using.  If using is the problem, then not using is the solution.  This is further entrenched by then making using illegal and with the consequence that users become criminals.  A Law and Order approach, or a War on Drugs approach, is the natural outcome.  In Canada, about 70% of all Federal dollars that go towards substance use problems, goes to the law enforcement side, including the RCMP, the courts and correctional services.  Only 30% goes to prevention, education, treatment and research.   Law and Order and Abstinence-only approaches limit the ways we can respond as a society.

Perhaps a good analogy is driving.  We all know that one of the major causes of death in Canada is motor vehicle accidents.   If we took a similar approach to driving deaths as we do to substance use, we would make all driving illegal, ban automobiles and motorbikes, and arrest and charge people caught using motor vehicles or involved in the production or sale of motor vehicles.  Clearly this is not an approach that anyone would support, even though we could all agree we would like to reduce motor vehicle deaths.  So what do we do?  We create a wide range of Harm Reduction programs to try and reduce the likelihood of motor vehicle accidents while allowing people to continue driving.  Programs like seat belt laws, graduated licensing systems for new drivers, standardized traffic rules, maximum speeds, improved car design etc. etc.  We don’t view driving as a criminal matter but as a public health concern and we create policies and programs accordingly.  At the same time, we take a Law and Order approach to certain behaviours associated with risky driving, such as speeding or driving while impaired, but we accept that people are going to drive.  Harm Reduction in the area of substance use is just the same.  If we accept that people are going to use substances (and in any given year over 80% of Canadians 15 or over will use a substance) then it makes more sense to develop programs and approaches that discourage unhealthy use, encourage responsible use, and provide means for people who have more serious problems to reduce negative consequences so that they can hopefully be in a place to make healthier choices.  At the same time, there is a role for a Law and Order approach in areas such as trafficking, unregulated drug production and inappropriate public use.

At East Kootenay Addiction Services, we view substance use, abuse and addiction as both a personal and a public health problem, rather than as a criminal problem.  Our aim is to provide services that reduce the harms that use can cause, whether that is by supporting someone to quit using altogether, to use in a more responsible and less harmful way, or to help them improve other areas of their life that their use may be impacting.  If we consider substance use as a personal and public health issue, then the goals for intervention can change, as can the types of interventions that are used.  This is what Harm Reduction means and research shows that programs coming from this approach are more effective in creating overall healthy change for people using and for communities as a whole.

This is the second article in a series on Mindfulness written by Maureen Smith. Maureen is a Substance Use Counsellor at East Kootenay Addiction Services who has an interest in Mindfulness and finding creative ways to incorporate it into her counselling practice. To read more about Mindfulness and how it relates to Substance Use visit our page about Mindfulness in the Resources/Adult section of our website. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

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3 Steps to Slay the Procrastination Dragon

This is the first article in a series on Mindfulness written by Maureen Smith. Maureen is a Substance Use Counsellor at East Kootenay Addiction Services who has an interest in Mindfulness and finding creative ways to incorporate it into her counselling practice.  The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services.  To read more about Mindfulness and how it relates to Substance Use click here to visit our page about Mindfulness in the Resources/Adult section of our website.  

5 Reasons to be Mindful of your Body

We live in a world that promotes thinking as a superior function.  Many education systems value abstract learning above others. Most people are trained when they’re young to identify with their thoughts. To be mindful sounds like it is an activity that only happens in the head. When we make efforts to train ourselves to pay attention to sensations in the body, we can stop living just in our heads and live more fully in our whole being. Being aware of the body is an important part of living well and mindfulness practice.


1. The human body is an astonishingly wonderful composite!  We often take what it does for granted.  We tend to notice our body when it hurts or isn’t working well.  At these times we may get frustrated, angry and impatient. Most often the body works without us having to notice it.  Noticing the body is a wonderful way of practicing appreciation for the incredible gift that is the body. Every breath, every heart beat is an amazing miracle. And this is true even when we feel sick or sore. Being aware of the body moment by moment helps us remember the amazing feat that we call our body. 


2. Being in our bodies more fully allows us to experience the joy of living.  When we stay stuck in conceptual thoughts the vividness of being in a body and experiencing the senses can be dulled and feel distant.  When we practice mindfulness we are practicing being open to the full experience of being alive. That includes joy and sorrow.  We can’t have one without the other.  To fully taste the cool sweetness of a drop of dew licked from a blade of grass, to fully immerse ourselves in the experience of a dragonfly in sunlight, to feel as if for the first time a rain drop falling from the sky and landing on our skin.  These are just a few examples of the amazing experiences possible if we are fully in the body in the moment.


3. The body is always in the present “now” moment.  When we feel the wind blow across our skin we are experiencing that sensation in the present moment.  Bringing our attention to the sensations in the body means we are placing our attention in the here and now.  The body is not in tomorrow.  The body is not in yesterday.  In this way the sensations of the body and the activities of the body can be useful anchors to bring us to now.   Being in the now brings us out of thoughts of the future and past. Out of thoughts such as “what if…” and “I wish…”  The body remains firmly in the present and is an excellent touch stone for bringing our minds to the present as well.


4. Paying attention to the body allow us to feel grounded.  The body has a mass and is firmly established on the earth thanks to gravity.  Our minds are less solid and can be more like the wind, blowing here and then there:  Sometimes gently and at other times like squalls.  As we practice paying attention to the body in the moment we become more aware of the weight of the body on the earth.   This paying attention to the body can stabilize the windy tendency of the mind to zoom off in uncontrolled ways that can feel distracting and agitating.  Being mindful of the body we are helping our energy ground and be directed.


5. We live in the physical body, lets get to know it better.  Lots of times we try not to live in our bodies.  We do this by ignoring how it feels or wishing it was different than it is. The body experiences itself and life by feeling physical sensations.  The more we are familiar with these the better we will cope with them as they arise.  The body is our home whether we like it or not.  When we open ourselves to the reality of the experience of our body as it is now, not how we would like it to be, we have a better chance of accepting what is happening with more joy and ease.  Being in the body in the moment, moment by moment invokes a state of calm that doesn’t depend on things being pleasant.


Adapted from
http://%20%20http//www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/

In March 2019 East Kootenay Addiction Services Society (EKASS) conducted the ninth Adolescent Drug Use Survey. The region-wide survey, first undertaken by the Agency in 2002, includes all students in Grades 7 – 12 in the East Kootenay. The survey is conducted every two years to monitor changes in drug use patterns, attitudes and behaviours amongst East Kootenay adolescents.

This is the third article in a series regarding changes to marijuana legislation in Canada. The series is written by East Kootenay Addiction Services Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

Here is the title of a research article published in the January edition of the journal Cerebral Cortex by researchers at Western University:  Adolescent Cannabinoid Exposure Induces a Persistent Sub-Cortical Hyper-Dopaminergic State and Associated Molecular Adaptations in the Prefrontal Cortex. 

Now, if you’re like me and never read the journal, Cerebral Cortex, this title probably sounds like a strange foreign language.  In fact, I’m showing this as an example of the kind of research that it is trying to determine the potential positive and negative effects of marijuana use on teen brains.  As the Canadian government moves towards legalizing marijuana one of the big concerns is going to be the potential impact on adolescents.  Both the previous Conservative government and the current Liberal government said they wanted to limit teens’ access to marijuana and protect them from marijuana’s risks.  The two governments had very different ideas about how this could be done, but that’s the topic for a different discussion.  

What is important to realize is that quality research on the risks and/or benefits of marijuana use is relatively scarce, and the research that is being done that helps to shed some light on how marijuana may affect teens tends to be published in obscure specialist journals with intimidating titles like the one above.  Most people don’t access this kind of information.  What people might find when they look for information is sites on the Web, YouTube or Blogs.  Some of these sites may be very good and based in good research, while many are little more than personal opinion sites masquerading as expert testimony.  For the average person it can be very difficult to sort through. 

At East Kootenay Addiction Services we routinely hear teens talking about a website they found which says marijuana is perfectly safe, while concerned parents talk about a site they found which says marijuana is the worst drug ever used.  ‘Seek and ye shall find’ could be the catch phrase for the Web, as you are bound to find a site that will affirm your beliefs.  So how to sort through all of this?  On our EKASS website we provide links to Canadian and International websites that we believe provide the best balanced information on substances and substance use.  Check these sites out as a good starting place for more accurate information. 

As for the study I mentioned above –it found that giving heavy doses of marijuana to young rats created lasting behaviour and brain changes which resembled those found in people with schizophrenia.  They did not find these changes in adult rats exposed to marijuana.  The implication being that heavy marijuana use in teens may cause more significant damage than in adults (at least if you’re a rat). 

In the next article I’ll talk more about some of the research findings of the potential impact on teens of marijuana use.  Stay tuned.

Dean Nicholson, Executive Director

East Kootenay Addiction Services Society

January 26, 2016

This is the second article in a series regarding changes to marijuana legislation in Canada. The series is written by East Kootenay Addiction Services Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

This is the first article in a series regarding changes to marijuana legislation in Canada. The series is written by East Kootenay Addiction Services Executive Director, Dean Nicholson. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

McCreary Centre Society announcing the results of the 2018 BC Adolescent Health Survey

This is the third article in a series on Mindfulness. This article was written by Barry Boyce and reposted by East Kootenay Addiction Services. To read more about Mindfulness and how it relates to Substance Use visit our page about Mindfulness in the Resources/Adult section of our website. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services. 

By Barry Boyce | March 1, 2016

For what matters most… Live in the now… Make the most of the moments that matter.

I received a steady diet of these inspiring messages in movie theater ads preceding the coming attractions during Christmas. They were being used to sell…Tylenol.

Words are indeed cheap, and many of the words used to promote mindfulness are the same words used to sell lots of stuff these days. For good reason: We crave these things. As cheesy as it sounds, we do want “moments that matter” and we do want to “live in the now.”

But it’s also false advertising. There is no supercool place called “the now,” where everything is ever bright and beautiful. It doesn’t work that way. Being present is an ordinary thing. It doesn’t come with brass bands and balloons, unless the present moment happens to be celebrating a grand opening.

The present moment comes just as likely with pain or confusion or uncertainty. What’s true, and profound, about the moment we’re in, is that it’s the only possible place we can operate from. It’s the address our body is located in. It’s the perch from which we launch forward to what’s next. And it’s not fixed. It’s always emerging.

When the conception of mindfulness as something all gooey—talked about in hushed tones with flute music playing—takes hold, it often has little appeal to people in pain who are dealing with dark challenging emotions: fear, anger, sadness, jealousy, dread, regret, you name it.

The notion of mindfulness practice as something that would enable them to stay with and explore those tough emotions—all the better to understand them and loosen their grip— slips past them. If a facile cheeriness is all that’s on offer, it makes about as much impression as a Tylenol commercial.

As mindfulness programs have taken hold over the past few decades, it has been interesting to see what keeps people coming back. They often sign on in the first place because they have an uneasy feeling that they could perform better, and that is an entirely valid reason to sign on. Meditation does help you perform better.

But what keeps them coming back, many trainers say, is the insight they gain into what’s going on in their brains and bodies, including trauma. They gain more focus, yes, but the real payoff comes from finding a means to deal with the really tough stuff. And that’s why they say things like, “I’ve become a better human being since starting mindfulness practice,” and that’s where the real change in performance comes from.

Really living in the now brings not just relief and peace. It also brings courage, strength, and the willingness to be with ourselves, and others, through thick and thin. Let’s hope mindfulness becomes famous for that, rather than being a Happy Meal for the Mind. If it doesn’t, lots of people who could benefit may never find their way to meditation. They’ll take Tylenol instead.

Local Harm Reduction Teams throughout the East Kootenay have gathered material for The Compassion Project - an art show created for the purpose of sparking curiosity about values, beliefs and assumptions surrounding drug use in your community. The ultimate goal is to build compassion through increased awareness and understanding. 

This article is written by Theresa Bartraw. Theresa is the Regional Youth Substance Use Education Coordinator at East Kootenay Addiction Services. The article below does not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of East Kootenay Addiction Services.

This month marked a policy change in BC which permits select grocery stores to sell alcohol. This post originally appeared on the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health blog, however, while this blog is from Ontario, many of the points are now relevant to BC.

Para-MethoxyAmphetamine

An ecstasy user would like their pills to contain just one active ingredient - MDMA (3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine). But because banned drugs are unregulated, they can contain other drugs, and sometimes no MDMA at all. Currently, ecstasy  is at times, reportedly containing the drug PMA instead of, or as well as MDMA. Several deaths linked to PMA have occurred recently. PMA brings on effects at lower doses and much less ‘forgiving’ drug than MDMA. Technically speaking it has a steeper dose-response curve, so the amount that could send your temperature, heart-rate and blood pressure soaring dangerously is not much more than the amount you need to feel it at all. People have reported very unpleasant or dangerous reactions after just a single pill or even less.

Have a look at this harm reduction poster for more information about the differences between MDMA and PMA and how to reduce your harms. 

We shared this article on social media a few weeks back and thought we'd share it here too...

Ecstacy in 2015 article

March 16 - 22nd is Brain Awareness Week, a global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research. In recognition of the week, EKASS has created a list of resources which highlight the ways in which brain research has added to our understanding of addiction, its prevention and treatment.