Pubdate: Thu,  8 Feb 2001
Source: Richmond News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2001, Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  (604) 270-2248
Address: 5731 No. 3 Rd., Richmond, B.C.  V6X 2C9
Website: http://www.richmond-news.com/
Author: Jessica Holmes

MAYOR - YOUTHS NEED DRUG TREATMENT CENTRES

School Trustees Say They Are In Favour Of Participating In An
Inter-Agency Committee With City's Drug Task Force

Richmond Mayor Greg Halsey-Brandt made a formal presentation to the
school board for the first time in 14 years Monday night to request its
help in lowering drug and crime rates among the city's youths.

The mayor said the city has to deal with drug-related issues at the
school level.

"It's clear the situation is getting worse," he said. "We've just got to
work harder to hit the (drug) problem earlier."

He hopes Richmond schools can work with the Richmond Task Force on Drugs
and Crime to find ways of treating drug-addicted teens and raise
awareness for preventing further teens from getting started in the drug
cycle.

RCMP statistics from 1999 say that 85 to 90 per cent of drug offences in
Richmond were related to marijuana. The reported use of marijuana by 
youth in B.C. doubled between 1992 (16 per cent) and 1998 (32 per cent).

Halsey-Brandt said although the 25 to 40 hard drug traffickers servicing
Richmond are older individuals long out of high school, the involvement
with drugs starts at a young age and there are no treatment centres for
youths in Richmond.

"It is a travesty," he said. "The sad answer is that alcohol- and
drug-addicted people don't make a lot of noise so funding goes into
other areas."

According to the mayor, five per cent of crimes in Richmond are directly
drug-related, although property crimes, which make up 59 per cent of the
city's crime rate, are mostly drug-related.

Richmond has a relatively low number of robberies, most of which are
also committed by drug addicts.

Halsey-Brandt said in order to address the issue, the task force first
has to  find the gaps of drug treatment and prevention in Richmond.

He said Richmond needs inter-agency cooperation to deliver programs and
services as well as community education, addressing particular at-risk
groups, such as youths.

"You ask a teenager. They know how to recycle. They know they shouldn't
smoke, but when you ask them about drugs, they get a little foggy. It's
not an issue they're clear on. We need to make it clear," Halsey-Brandt
said.

Treatment services for youth and women are needed, as are police
resources to enforce and investigate drugs, he said.

The Richmond Task Force on Drugs and Crime plans to finalize a one-year
work plan with council by March. The Richmond school board said it was
in favour of participating as an inter-agency committee, for the most
part, but referred the matter to district staff to list current and
needed resources  by March 2.
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