• Dopamine
• Drug Facts
  • Alcohol
  • Tobacco
  • Marijuana
  • Cocaine/Crack
  • Ecstasy
  • GHB
  • Heroin
  • Ketamine
  • LSD/Acid
  • Meth/Crystal
  • PCP
  • Mushrooms

Information about Drug Use

IMPACT recognizes that there is and probably always will be a certain segment of the population of youth who use drugs. More importantly, we recognize that, in the general population, drug use is commonplace – most people use drugs (considering that alcohol, nicotine and caffeine are classified as drugs – see our Research page for more details).

It is therefore not our goal to convince everyone to not use drugs, nor do we take a moral stand on whether all drug use is wrong or right. But we do acknowledge some facts:

• We know that drug use can directly and indirectly affect the health, well-being, security and happiness of individuals, families and the Abbotsford and Mission communities as a whole.
• We know that drugs have a role to play in a great number of health and legal crises that occur in our communities.
• We know that all research to date on youth drug use points to a multitude of complex factors that may lead youth to use and, more importantly, abuse drugs.

We recognize that, like the path to youth substance abuse can be complex, the path to reducing substance use or the harms that can accompany it can be and usually are complex. But we also know that, while some youth may seek the thrill of danger, very few, if any, actively seek actual harm.

• No one wants to end up a drunk driving fatality statistic.
• No one wants to be the victim of the next murder that helps to assure Abbotsford retains its title as Canada’s homicide capital.
• But the fact is, intended or not, a great number of people are suffering from the negative consequences of drug use – whether from their own drug use or from that of someone else.

Many people use drugs because they like the short-term effects that drugs can produce (at least initially) – good feelings, energy, relaxation, a new tint to the old picture. We don’t deny these effects, but we do recognize that there are often other ways to get these same effects, ways that may require greater effort to achieve, but that also can lead to a more durable and long-term satisfaction than drugs can provide – without many of the risks and side effects.

We also know that some people may not be ready to stop all drug use. Just because someone may not be ready to stop all drug use doesn’t mean that they cannot still take actions that might improve their lives, or that might lead to reduced problematic drug use. So we help youth whether their goal is complete abstinence or simply abstinence from problematic or over-indulgent drug use.

Above all, it is IMPACT’s goal and mission to help the youth of Abbotsford, Mission and the Fraser Valley to have the tools that will help them reach a satisfaction with their lives that does not rely on the use of non-prescription drugs.