Presentation to focus on stories of freedom from addiction

This Sunday, 10:30 a.m., at First Baptist Church, Atlantic Men’s Speaking Team from “Teen Challenge” will present a dynamic presentation featuring amazing stories of freedom from addiction; everyone is invited to attend.

Teen Challenge is a 12month, faith-based, residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation program that is part of a network of over 15 Teen Challenge Centres across Canada and more than 1,000 worldwide. The Atlantic centre is located near Memramcook, N.B., in a renovated monastery on 18 acres of meadow, forest and landscaped gardens.

The program has a strong faith-based approach and offers spiritual, academic and vocational training that helps equip individuals to return to society as responsible citizens. Students learn character and leadership development skills, health and life skills, and have the opportunity to acquire some vocational training.

This program also provides opportunities for students to learn planning and decisionmaking skills and to learn to contribute to Teen Challenge and the community.

Substance abuse is on the rise worldwide and Canada is not immune. Here are some Canadian statistics on drug and alcohol abuse (From Teen Challenge website):

15.7 Average age drug abuse begins

47,000 Canadian deaths are linked to substance abuse annually.

– Health Officer’s Council of British Columbia

Substance abuse has cost our health care system $8 billion.

– Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse

For every $5 spent on drug rehabilitation by the Canadian government, $95 is spent on incarceration of drug users.

– Health Officer’s Council of BC

60 per cent of illicit drug users in Canada are between the ages of 15 and 24. – Statistics Canada

When asked about their specific crime worries, 52 per cent of those polled said they were “very concerned” about drug activity. – National Post

Children of addicts are up to nine times more likely to develop an addiction of their own.

– Web4Health