Youth, Drugs and Gangs
CFSEU-BC | Back to School 2026

Youth, Drugs and Gangs: Information for Youth, Parents and Educators

Stay Connected. Stay Safe.

A new school year brings new opportunities and new pressures. This page explains how gangs recruit young people in British Columbia, what to watch for, and where to turn if you are worried about yourself or someone you care about.

Know the signs Watch the September series

In an emergency, call 911. Youth Against Violence Line: 1-800-680-4264, free and confidential, 24/7.

Five weeks of conversations, one page of answers

Why this matters right now

Back to school means new classes, new friends and new pressures. Throughout September, CFSEU-BC is talking with youth, parents and experts about keeping young people safe from drugs and gangs, and this page brings it all together in one place.

The message is simple. Stay connected, keep the conversation open, and know where to turn for help.

For you

I am a young person

You are not in trouble for asking questions. Here is what recruitment actually looks like and who you can talk to.

Start here For home

I am a parent or caregiver

How to start the conversation at home, and what changes are worth a check in.

How to talk about it For school

I am an educator

What to watch for in your classroom and how to raise a concern the right way.

What to watch for

How do gangs recruit young people?

Recruitment is rarely dramatic and it usually does not start with a threat. It starts with attention, money or a sense of belonging. In British Columbia, young people may be targeted for exploitation or recruitment by gangs as early as elementary school, and the average age at which youth begin to associate with gangs is 13.

The three most common routes

Through people they already know.An older friend, a cousin, someone from the neighbourhood. The first ask is usually small and sounds like a favour.
Through social media.Recruitment has moved onto the same apps young people use every day. Often nobody searches for it. The content simply arrives in the feed, and the longer it is watched, the more normal it looks.
Occasionally through force or debt.A young person is given product or money, then told they owe for it.
Why do youth get involved in drug trafficking?

Because the first offer looks like an easy answer to something real. Fast money. Status. People who seem to have your back. A place to belong when things at home or at school are hard. What is not explained at the start is the debt, the violence, the criminal record and how quickly the choice stops being yours.

See how online recruitment works Recruitment of girls and young women
A pattern, not a single sign

What are the signs of gang involvement?

There is no single sign that tells you a young person is involved with a gang. What matters is a pattern, and a change from what is normal for them.

Changes in behaviour

  • A sudden drop in school performance, or skipping classes
  • Pulling away from family, long standing friends, sports or activities they used to care about
  • New secrecy, especially about their phone, or a sharp change in mood, aggression or withdrawal
  • Away from home for long stretches with no reasonable explanation
  • Talking about a job but unable to give any credible detail about it
  • Spending time with a new, older peer group, or with people known to be gang involved
  • Posting or sharing content featuring weapons, drugs, cash or gang symbols

Things you might find

  • Unexplained cash, usually in smaller denominations
  • More than one phone, particularly cheap or disposable "burner" phones
  • Small plastic baggies, or a digital scale
  • New designer clothing, shoes, jewellery, watches or electronics with no reasonable explanation
  • Access to vehicles they do not own
  • Being asked to sell vaping products at or after school
  • Weapons of any kind
One sign on its own is not proof

Each indicator on its own might not point to illicit activity. Found in combination, it is a cause for concern that warrants an open conversation and possibly intervention. Start with a conversation, not an accusation.

The best time to talk about it is before anything is wrong.
Connection before crisis

How do I talk to my child about gangs and drugs?

Connection before crisis. You do not need a script and you do not need to have all the answers.

  1. Have the conversation early and often, not only when something has gone wrong.
  2. Ask open questions about who they spend time with, what is happening at school, and what they are seeing online.
  3. Listen without jumping straight to judgment. Young people tell us this is the single thing that makes it easier to come to an adult.
  4. Make it clear they can come to you with a problem without being afraid of the reaction.
  5. If something worries you, check in rather than conclude. Then reach out to one of the supports at the bottom of this page.
See the full list of indicators Talk to someone confidentially
One new video every week

Stay Connected. Stay Safe: the September series

Five short conversations, released one a week through September. We hear from a young person, a parent, and an End Gang Life expert about keeping young people safe and supported.

Week 1

Welcome back to September

School transitions bring new opportunities and new pressures. An introduction to what we are covering this month.

Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha, CFSEU-BC
Week 2
Releasing week of
September 8

Starting the conversation at home

A parent on talking openly about drugs, gangs, peer pressure and what happens online, before there is a crisis.

Lauren, parent
Week 3
Releasing week of
September 15

What young people wish adults knew

A student on the pressures adults do not always see, and what makes it easier to speak up when something is wrong.

Youth perspective
Week 4
Releasing week of
September 22

What to watch for, and what to do

An End Gang Life expert on the changes worth paying attention to and the practical steps adults can take.

Shawn, End Gang Life
Week 5
Releasing week of
September 29

Where to get help

A recap of the campaign and a straightforward guide to the supports available to youth and families in B.C.

Sgt. Sarbjit K. Sangha, CFSEU-BC
Follow @CFSEUBC for the full series
Province of B.C., RCMP and Statistics Canada

What does the research actually say?

The numbers below come from the Province of British Columbia, the RCMP and Statistics Canada.

13

The average age at which youth begin to associate with gangs is 13 years old.

Province of B.C., ERASE
Elementary school

In B.C., youth may be targeted for exploitation or recruitment by gangs as early as elementary school.

Province of B.C., ERASE
Half under 33

In B.C., half of gang members are under the age of 33, and some are as young as 15.

Province of B.C., ERASE educator resource
Any background

Gang members come from any cultural and ethnic background, in both rural and urban areas.

Province of B.C., ERASE
152

There were 152 gang-related homicides in Canada in 2024, close to one in five of all homicides in the country.

Statistics Canada, 2025
94%

About 94 percent of gang members in Canada are male, which is exactly why the recruitment of girls and young women is so often missed.

RCMP

Myths and realities

These are the promises recruitment is built on, and what actually happens.
Tap a myth to see the reality.

The reality
Most gang members do not own anything. You will either be arrested, injured or killed.
The reality
Gang members are driven by greed. Members within the same group often hurt each other over trivial things.
The reality
Gang violence puts everyone around you at risk, including the people you are trying to protect.
The reality
You have no freedom at all. You do whatever the person above you tells you to do.
The reality
Gang members come from every cultural and ethnic background, in both rural and urban areas of B.C.
The reality
With early support from family, school and police, a young person can leave without serious consequences. People leave gang life in B.C. every year.
Free, voluntary, confidential

It is never too late to leave

The CFSEU-BC Gang Intervention and Exiting Team

If you are involved in gang activity and you want out, there is a team in British Columbia whose entire job is to help you do it safely. The Gang Intervention and Exiting Team works with people aged 12 and up across the Lower Mainland, of any gender, who are committed to building something different.

  • Their focus is not arresting you.It is helping you exit gang life safely.
  • It is confidential.If you take part, the team will not disclose that you are a participant.
  • It is free, and it is voluntary.There is no cost to participate and you are not signing anything away.
  • Families can call too.Support is available for the people around you, not only the person exiting.
Talk to the Gang Intervention and Exiting Team 604-897-6023 gangintervention@cfseu.bc.ca
Call 604-897-6023 Email the team
Learn more about the team
You do not need to be in crisis to call

Where can I get help?

You do not need to be in crisis to call any of these. Most of the people who reach out are simply looking for information or advice.

If someone is in immediate danger

Emergency911If there is a risk to someone's safety right now.
BC Crime Stoppers1-800-222-TIPS (8477)
bccrimestoppers.comFree, 24/7, from anywhere in B.C. You are never asked for your name and you never appear in court.

If you are a young person

Youth Against Violence LineCall 1-800-680-4264
Text 604-836-6381
victimlinkbc.caFree, confidential, 24/7, multilingual. TTY 604-875-0885.
Kids Help PhoneCall 1-800-668-6868
Text CONNECT to 686868
kidshelpphone.caFree and confidential counselling, 24/7.
Helpline for Children1-877-631-8282Any time. You do not have to give your name.
ERASE Report Iterase.gov.bc.caReport a safety concern at your school anonymously.

If you are a parent, caregiver or educator

Gang Intervention and Exiting Team604-897-6023
gangintervention@cfseu.bc.ca
cfseu.bc.caSupport for the person exiting and for their family.
End Gang Lifeendganglife.caPrevention resources, indicators and materials for schools.
Ministry of Children and Family Development1-800-663-9122
gov.bc.ca/mcfdIf you believe a child needs protection. Available any time.
CyberTip.ca1-866-658-9022
cybertip.caTo report online sexual exploitation of a child or youth.
Telling someone is not the same as turning them in.
Stay connected. Stay safe.

What do I do if my friend is involved in a gang?

Telling someone is not the same as turning them in. You can call the Youth Against Violence Line at 1-800-680-4264 and talk it through without giving your name or your friend's name. If your friend is ready to get out, the Gang Intervention and Exiting Team at 604-897-6023 works with people your age and does not disclose who takes part.

Related CFSEU-BC campaigns

End Gang LifeThe umbrella prevention brand and its full resource library. Behind the ScreenHow gang recruitment works on social media. Girls in GangsWhy girls and young women are recruited, and how to get out. Not Worth the GambleThe real cost of illegal gambling and gang involvement.