Youths explore alternatives to substance abuse through art

James LaPlante said he started using marijuana and drinking more alcohol to relax from school and the continuous fighting between his divorced parents.

After being caught using drugs, the 17-year-old was forced to go through the substance abuse program's recreation therapy — a series of activities designed to encourage youths to replace substance abuse with other occupations.

LaPlante and about 13 other students painted and fashioned a puzzle-piece type mural to represent the "puzzling" question of why people become hooked on drugs and other substances.

"The whole point of the therapy is to show kids there's many more things to do," said LaPlante, who lives in a house with several other boys receiving help from Salt Lake County Youth Services. "I work at a golf course. Golf has become a way for me to relax and get rid of stress, escape from the world."

The 15- to 17-year-old muralists, who were court-ordered to participate, each designed their own puzzle piece of answers to why people can't always break away from substance abuse. Some referenced the fact that many fight to break away from addictions, and even addictions as simple as fast food can be harmful over time.

"The power of art amazes me," said program volunteer Lindsay Larsen. "Painting one day won't stop someone from smoking pot, but art still has a constructive effect. It brings you closer to that goal."

The mural, which currently sits on the second floor of Salt Lake's downtown library, will move to different locations to inspire viewers to think about how substance abuse can take hold. LaPlante's puzzle piece focuses on the negative effect of prescription drugs, a reminder of his own memories of friends who have taken OxyContin or other pain medication and then continued taking the drugs.

"I broke my arm once and took Lortab, but I never used it for anything else," LaPlante said. "It's just opiates. It's easy to become addicted to something like that, not even a conscious addiction."

Substance abuse program case manager Agnes Robl sees youths come through the program needing help every day, and to her, the primary goal is to replace those previous habits with new activities.

"We try a lot of different things and hope something will spark," Robl said.

Including art, Larsen said.

The program encourages youths to try snowboarding, hiking and other activities, but Larsen hopes painting will give youths another outlet to express themselves.

e-mail: lgroves@desnews.com