Pubdate: Sat, 06 Nov 2004 Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald (CN SN) Copyright: 2004 Prince Albert Daily Herald Contact: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1918 Author: Keitha Clark, Daily Herald Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) CRYSTAL METH TARGETED Cigarettes and crystal meth addictions are the target of the upcoming addiction awareness week. A dramatic increase in crystal meth use in junior high and high schools has caused "tremendous worry" in the local community, said Murray Wotherspoon, a member of the Prince Albert Addiction Awareness Committee. This is the first year crystal meth awareness will be prominently promoted during Saskatchewan Addiction Awareness Week, a provincewide initiative that runs Nov. 14-20. Prince Albert has participated in the awareness week for more than 20 years. The week features several events aimed at providing information about different addictions Both cigarettes and crystal meth are recent additions to the local addictions list. Four years ago, crystal meth was nearly non-existent in the city. Today, about one-third of youth seeking addiction counselling have a problem with crystal meth. Cigarettes were added two years ago. Including smoking on the addiction list reflects a social trend toward tobacco intolerance, said Wotherspoon Smoking will be banned from all indoor public places in Saskatchewan on Jan. 1. Both cigarettes and crystal meth act as stimulants and are highly addictive. It takes as little as two doses of crystal meth to become addicted to the white powder. By the fifth dose, users have a 90 per cent chance of being hooked. Wotherspoon hopes school presentations in the next two weeks will increase student awareness of the dangers associated with crystal meth. Wotherspoon said the difficulty of breaking an addiction depends on the individual and his or her support system. "In the end, it's much easier to do with the support of the people around," said Wotherspoon. Prince Albert has a tradition of being an active and aware city about addictions, said Wotherspoon. He said people promote the week because they see the "disastrous affects" addictions can have in the community. One of the main reasons for holding the awareness week is to turn media attention towards the dangers of addictive attitudes. "We may not reach every person, or we may not prevent every person from getting into an addictive cycle, but if we can reach the vast numbers that say the Herald does or maybe a radio station, boy, than it starts to provide a major impact ... It brings us together for at least one time of the year to put a concerted focus on prevention," said Wotherspoon. He said the week also gives addictions councillors and educators the opportunity to network. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake