Pubdate: Fri, 12 Aug 2005
Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Inc
Contact:  http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837
Author: Matt Kieltyka
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH COULD MEAN LIFE

Stiffer penalties for those cranking out crystal meth was welcome news
for the Vancouver Police Department, which is currently mired in a
losing battle against the drug.

The federal government announced yesterday that traffickers of the
addictive drug could now face life in prison. The previous maximum was
10 years.

"It sends a clear message crystal meth and its effect on the community
is being taken seriously," said Cost. Howard Chow. "It will definitely
help us in our fight against it."

Chow says the drug isn't as common as cocaine, but the environmental
concerns with meth labs and the drug's effect on users means police
have to be vigilant. Now it looks like the courts will be too.

"It's a step forward," said Chow. "We do what we do with the laws we
have. It has to be a multi-pronged approach, and it has to start from
the top down."

The new lifetime sentence available to judges puts penalties on par
with the production and trafficking of cocaine and heroin.

Health minister Ujjal Dosanjh is also trying to pass a law that would
see people in possession of large qualities of the ingredients used to
make meth, such as rock salt, battery acid, ammonia and cold medicine,
could face a $5,000 fine or three years in jail.
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MAP posted-by: Derek