SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Bryne Richards, a drug counsellor at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre, is fighting a war to bring awareness to addictions.

"It's not about winning the battle, it's about raising awareness in the same way when we provide proper information so people are able to make the right choices," said Richards.

"We work hard at maintaining the message of prevention."

The organization is putting together events during National Addictions Awareness Week, Nov. 14-20.

"It's an national event that is happening across the country from one side (to) the other," said Richards. "This is a culmination of all the work that I do."

This year, the theme for the week is "celebrating healthy choices" as it promotes addiction-free lifestyles for individuals, families and communities.

"It's about some people who have made wrong choices and done the things that they've had to do to change their behaviour," said Richards. "And it's about people who make the right choice all along, so it's celebrating those choices."

Among the events next week will be presentations from the Odd Squad, a group of Vancouver police who have been making documentaries on the drug problem on Vancouver's downtown eastside in an attempt to show people what the consequences are of those types of life choices.

Most of the Odd Squad's presentations are going to be made to students.

"What we need is to provide (youth) with an accurate picture of what can happen, not a scare tactic," said Richards. "It is a tool that is helpful to them when they're faced with the decisions they have to make."

While most of the events during the day are targeted towards youth, evening events are geared toward adults such as a Community Addictions Awareness Forum on Monday night at the Tree of Peace.

Another event will be the Sober March on Monday. Richards said they had about 400 people attend last year.

Richards expects similar numbers this year. The majority of last year's marchers were students and he hopes more adults will participate in this year's event.

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