Of course, I can tell you about what I am seeking and share and what we've been through. I'd like to invite my wife to add her own comments if she wishes.
What we experienced was a kind of indifference. It starts with a small amount of use that you don't even notice—a joint every now and then. Your child stays out later. The first time, they come home from a party or an outing completely drunk. It starts with alcohol, then moves on to something else. We tell ourselves it's just a youthful phase and that it will pass. That's the parents' initial reaction. We don't realize that something else is going on.
At some point, we get a call, and we realize there are problems at school. Then we got another call: The principal wanted to search his locker at school—but that didn't stop his behaviour. The goal was to prevent him from selling drugs to others or stop others from using them, but nothing was done to tell him he had to stop because he was doing something wrong.
That is what I hope this bill will change. It needs to make those involved realize that this is when they must intervene. It is at this point that we might discover that the young person is using too much and is forced to sell drugs to pay for their own use. Young people don't have unlimited money—and these drugs are expensive. At some point, drugs lead to other crimes, and then to yet more crimes—we must intervene before that happens.
The bill seeks to raise awareness. As I said, once the bill is passed, significant work will be required to raise awareness. We will need to educate police officers, prosecutors, and judges. By enshrining the concept of treatment in the law—and I'm talking not only about treatment for problematic drug use but also for other mental health issues that may affect young people—I believe we can bring about real change.