Pubdate: Fri, 22 Oct 2004 Source: Penticton Western (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Penticton Western Contact: http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1310 Author: Ashlee Daye Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) CRYSTAL METH NOT JUST A BIG CITY PROBLEM It's long-lasting, extremely addictive and deadly - and can be produced from easy-to-come-by ingredients and Internet recipes. And while crystal meth has been highly publicized as a growing problem for B.C.'s big cities, a local addictions expert says smaller communities - including Penticton - need to become more aware of their own problems with the drug. "Crystal meth is huge," said Jeanni Jones, agency director of Pathways Addictions Resource Centre in Penticton. "It's the most recent, easy, quick-to-get drug. It's a large - and growing - problem." Methamphetamine - known as crystal meth in its smokeable rock form - acts as a stimulant to the central nervous system, often used with other substances such as cocaine and alcohol. Often called jib, ice, chalk, crank or glass, the street drug is produced and sold illegally in pill form, capsules, powder or chunks. It can cause a wide range of short term effects including a sense of well-being and increased alertness, as well as paranoia, visual-auditory hallucinations and convulsions. In 1999, Pathways - a non-profit, provincial-government-funded society that provides counselling and referrals for clients with drug and and/or alcohol abuse or related problems - recorded seeing only one client regarding amphetamine use, said Jones. Today, she says the centre averages almost 100 people per year. Altogether, the centre sees 600 clients per year - and this is a small town, said Jones. In Kelowna, dealing with crystal meth was the topic for a recent community forum, which brought together members of the community with health service providers and drug and addictions experts, including Kenneth Tupper from the Problematic Substance Use prevention area of the B.C. Ministry of Health Services, drug policy advisor Donald MacPherson of the City of Vancouver, Central Okanagan Four Pillars Coalition chair Shelley Cook and Dr. Darryl Inaba of Haight Ashbury Drug Clinics in San Francisco. Dr. Inaba was the creator of the first modern-day free clinic - opened in San Francisco in the mid-60's - and has a lot of experience dealing with crystal meth use and subsequent problems in communities. "Meth in any form creates a tremendous feeling of pleasure and joy-so it's quickly seduced a lot of people into using it," said Dr. Inaba. Methamphetamines stimulate the central nervous system and release chemicals naturally found in the body - but in irregularly large amounts, he said. "The depletion of these chemicals causes paranoia and depression, and eventually the inability to experience pleasure," he added. He likened methamphetamine to a loan shark, loaning addicts their own abilities to feel good. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin