Rayce Ramsay (left) from the Kamloops Blazers and Cst. Brad Matchim from Kamloops RCMP presented to Grade 6 students at Dallas Elementary on Wednesday (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

PROJECT EDGE

Project E.D.G.E. going strong, not without calls for change to school presentation on drugs and addiction

Jan 8, 2020 | 5:27 PM

KAMLOOPS — Project E.D.G.E. gives members of the Kamloops Blazers an eye-opening experience every September on Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside.

Players and coaches are escorted by police officers explore the impact of drugs and addiction. The first-hand experience is then relayed to Grade 6 students across School District 73.

“Essentially, [we’re saying] don’t do drugs. That’s what we prefer,” noted Matchim. “If you’re going to try it, if there’s bullying and that and you need some help, reach out. Teacher, parent, ask whoever [for help]. We’ll give you a hand.”

The students at Dallas Elementary got the message loud and clear.

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“When you’re older, don’t do drugs because you could end up in jail and do bad stuff with your life,” said Grade 6 students Rylan Hall.

Fellow Grade 6 Libby Tucker added, “It kind of taught me how not to use drugs and get addicted.”

“If I want to get a a scholarship in dance, [drugs] will really mess me up, and I really want to get that scholarship,” said Grade 6 Maya Strange.

However, there are some critics of Project E.D.G.E. Royal Inland Hospital emergency room doctor, Ian Mitchell, who has specialized in opioid dependency for the last two decades, doesn’t like how the program is presented to students.

He wrote a letter to the Minister of Education Rob Fleming in November, noting it is “stigmatizing and dehumanizing with clearly inaccurate information given by the officers.”

“The program is really mocking poverty, saying if you make one mistake, then you’re going to be hooked into a life of drug abuse,” noted Dr. Mitchell, who’s seen the presentation. “We know that’s not a proper way to teach. It’s not an effective way to teach.”

Dr. Mitchell also says Project E.D.G.E. is fear-based and doesn’t have evidence that is effective at preventing children from using drugs.

“This resembles the drug education that I received in Kamloops in the 1970s that really hasn’t moved on from the ‘Just Say No’ era,” he said. “This kind of programming is ineffective and can actually lead to kids doing more drugs, so it can be counterproductive in that way.”

Matchim responded, “We’re not up there standing on a podium preaching to kids saying ‘if you do drugs, you’re going to die.’ That’s not what we’re preaching. We’re giving them healthy choices.”

Dr. Mitchell says there are drug educators within the school district that should be conducting the presentations and not the RCMP.

But the plan is to carry on as is, as it teaches both the Blazers and students a lesson in how addiction can change your life.