Pubdate: Sat, 25 Jun 2005 Source: Chilliwack Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 Chilliwack Times Contact: http://www.chilliwacktimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1357 Author: Derek Spalding Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) FIGHT METH AT BORDER The provincial government and Fraser Health officials have different perspectives on reducing the supply of crystal methamphetamine ingredients in this province. Having every pharmacist across the province move several medicines, used to make the street drug, would be too much to ask, said B.C.'s new solicitor general, John Les. Instead, Les plans to lobby the federal government in order to ramp up border security to stop shipments of large quantities of the same products. "A serious manufacturer would want a large supply of these ingredients," he said. "We are approaching the federal government to try to stop the precursors to this drug from coming in through the ports." Mayor of Chilliwack for 13 years, Les commends the community for coming together in yesterday's methamphetamine forum to educate people on the dangers of this addictive drug. "Crystal meth presents a different problem as it is much more destructive than many other drugs, and they can be made from several household ingredients," he said. The MLA said forums like the one in Chilliwack help provide "public education," which is the best approach to solving the problems this "horribly destructive" drug can cause. "Other drugs have an addiction aspect to them," Les added, "but this is a particularly poisonous drug that can have immediate and permanent damaging effects on a person's health-especially their mental health. It basically blows up their brain." Approximately 20 per cent of the 116 Chilliwack youth who have been through the Fraser Health addiction services indicated they use crystal meth. But this number doesn't include the 70 per cent who are "polydrug users," said Sherry Mumford, manager of FV addiction services. According to her if you include the kids who use more than one drug, that percentage will increase. She agrees with the solicitor general about the need for public education but would like to see legislation passed that requires pharmacists to keep certain drugs behind the counter. "It's one thing for police to bust [meth] labs, and one thing for emergency wards and addiction services to deal with users, but somewhere in the middle there has to be a way to make it less lucrative for these people to produce [meth]," she said. The B.C. College of Pharmacists-following in the footsteps of Alberta-have done their part. Last year they asked all pharmacists across the province, who notice people purchasing large quantities of precursor meth ingredients to move the medicines behind the counter. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin