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| (Photo: Zach Drake, DiscoverMooseJaw.com) |
By: Zach Drake, DiscoverMooseJaw.com
Alcohol and drugs have never been more easily accessible to youth, and that's the reason many feel it's so important to educate them on the dangers of substance abuse early.
Former voice of the Saskatchewan Roughriders Rod Pedersen now works as a Sober Coach with Pedersen Recovery INC. for athletes, entertainers, the military and more who are battling addictions and mental illness.
Pedersen spends a lot of time working as a recovery advocate and serving as a keynote speaker.
Thursday afternoon, Pedersen spoke to a group of students at Peacock Collegiate. He described what his main message was in the presentation.
"Well, the number one weapon against addiction is prevention. So if we can stop kids before they've started drugs and alcohol abuse it's a win right there. If it's an older group I talk to, I say 'it's never too late to turn your life around' but with kids like this at Peacock I say 'it's never too early'. If you're starting to experience issues with mental health or addictions/substance abuse, look into it. Don't let it take your life down the drain like it did with mine."
Pedersen also explained why it's important to educate youth, even as young as 10 years old.
"I've become big on numbers. Suicide rates have tripled for kids 10-14, and there's a variety of reasons why that is ... a lot of excuses why that is. It's an important age; it's when people start to make life-altering decisions. Again it's about prevention, the number one weapon against addiction is prevention. We're trying to get to them as early as we can, because it's easier to build boys and girls than it is to repair men and women."
Pedersen added that it only takes one person in your corner to turn your life around and that it could be as simple as a single sentence that saves your life.
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