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. - --- MAP posted-by: Doc-Hawk