Two dozen teens were taken to the Downtown Eastside for a lesson in drug prevention. (CBC)

Two dozen teenagers from northern Saskatchewan toured Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside Thursday night on a visit set up to illustrate how drug use can spiral out of control.

The tour was organized by band elder Peter Piche of Clearwater River Dene Nation. He said he's hoping the tour will do enough to affect choices teens make.

"All these young kids are getting out of hand with drugs and booze so before it's too late, we're trying to help them as much as possible."

The walk in one of Canada's poorest neighbourhoods made an impact.

The youths were told that a life of drug use will lead to 'jail, institution or death.' (CBC)

“I don’t want to end up here,” said Rain Piche, one of the young participants of the tour.

“I learned a lot of things, to stay away from drugs. In our town it is not as bad, but it is way worse out here. It is pretty scary.”

One of the men who spoke to the teens was Mike, a drug user who did not want to reveal his last name. He had been using drugs for 14 years.

“It all starts off with marijuana, alcohol. It is glamourized in hip-hop music — in movies — it is the gateway to hell … this is hell. This is purgatory at its worst."

A former heroin addict currently on methadone and who wanted to remain unnamed told the group that drugs lead to "jail, institution or death, take your pick."

Another unnamed man, a 33-year-old who had taken drugs for 16 years before finally going clean, said he overdosed and nearly died.

"You can't outsmart it," he said. "You let this into your life and it will take over your life."

The youths will resume their tour on Friday.