Lethbridge Polytechnic students gather for pizza and a movie during National Addiction Awareness Week on Wednesday, Nov. 20. The relaxed drop-in session was held in The Cave to encourage connection and substance-use awareness. Photo by Somto Osinachi-Nnedu.
Lethbridge Polytechnic marked National Addiction Awareness Week with a series of workshops and community-driven events focused on support, reducing stigma and reminding students that recovery begins with connection, not isolation.Held annually across Canada, NAAW encourages institutions to address the impacts of addiction by promoting accessible resources available for students, and non-judgmental and safe environments. This year, Lethbridge Polytechnic took part in this initiative supported by a grant from Recovery on Campus Alberta (ROC), allowing Lethbridge Polytechnic to expand its events, resources, workshops and materials across campus to reach more people.
“Alcohol is so normal on campus, so that’s why we are doing board games, a movie, free pizza… There won’t be any alcohol to show people you can have fun without alcohol being involved,” says Lori Harasem, health promotion coordinator.
Lethbridge Polytechnic placed a deliberate effort on support systems and activities to enable students to connect without alcohol to show peer support and encourage students to see addiction as an issue that requires compassion and understanding, rather than pushing fear-based messaging, as well as letting students know about resources to help them.
This year, Wellness Services built their initiatives around connection. The wellness team helped students recognize early signs of stress-related substance use and explore what reaching out for help looks like on campus.
According to an article on April 22, 2025, by the Canadian Mental Health Association, “Sixty per cent of people with mental health problems or illness won’t seek help for fear of being labelled.”
Students hesitate to seek help when struggling with addiction due to fear of judgment or stigma. Lori Harasem seeks to break that barrier through these strategic events.
“We know that six to 10 percent of our students are either in recovery from addiction or living with addiction. We want to destigmatize the help, we want people to know that they can reach out to us.” Throughout the week, students participated in various hands-on activities that blended with wellness and stress management, which go together with addiction prevention.
Lori Harasem provided practical naloxone demonstrations at the Residence Life building, teaching and informing students how to recognize an overdose and administer it. Many students left with knowledge and practical insight on its administration.
A movie session was held where students came together, mixed and watched a movie, while pizza, popcorn and a bunch of snacks were handed out. “I was able to communicate with new friends, find new people and just hang out, which made me happy and de-stress from the assignments I have to do,” Richard Ronald Tackie, Lethbridge Polytechnic student.
Wellness educators facilitated a discussion afterward about how media can shape the understanding of addiction and recovery.
They mentioned that chronic stress and the use of substances are linked. The Doggy De-stress session invited students to spend time with trained therapy dogs, which helped in calming their nerves, and creating a comforting environment to allow students to decompress.
Interactive tables around campus showcased mental-health resources, posters containing information and real-life scenario-based tools. Staff led students in sessions on what early intervention looks like. This year’s activities were expanded thanks to Recovery on Campus Alberta, whose funds allowed the polytechnic to offer more resources, materials and workshops.
Harasem hopes students who engage in this year’s awareness week sessions feel more confident in reaching out for help and gain more control over substance abuse.
