Pubdate: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 Source: Edmonton Journal (CN AB) Copyright: 2005 The Edmonton Journal Contact: http://www.canada.com/edmonton/edmontonjournal/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/134 Author: Tom Barrett Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?199 (Mandatory Minimum Sentencing) POLICE LAUD TOUGHER SENTENCES FOR METH Want Power To Seize Labs, Drug-Making Materials EDMONTON - Local criminal justice officials are applauding a federal move to raise the maximum penalty for selling and producing methamphetamines to life imprisonment. The proposal is a good first step, but more aggressive legislation designed to control production of the deadly, highly addictive drug is still needed, experts said Thursday. "I'm glad to see the federal government has responded quite quickly," said Edmonton police acting Staff Sgt. Darcy Strang. "I spend a lot of time in court and I'm seeing the meth problem being taken more seriously, but appropriate sentences are really only a part of the solution." Strang, head of the Meth Projects Team, said the key is enabling police to seize chemicals used to make meth and charge people possessing the tools and parts but not the finished product. "We need legislation with some teeth in it," he said. "We can discover a lab in the making or a lab that recently produced meth, but unless the product is found, there is little we can do about it. If we have the power to control the chemicals, we can stop production of the drug." The current maximum penalty for selling or making the drug is 10 years in prison. The use of methamphetamine, also called meth or crystal meth, has spread across the country over the past eight years. It is cheap, easy to find and can be snorted, smoked, injected or swallowed. Users often ingest large quantities over several days or even weeks. "(The changes) will help kids stay away from it, and show those who are trafficking in this type of deadly drug that there will be tough prison sentences," said Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko. Crystal meth is made in small clandestine labs by mixing a cocktail of otherwise-legal chemicals. The main ingredient is pseudoephedrine, found in cold remedies. It is cooked with material easily purchased from hardware stores, such as red phosphorous, iodine, ammonia, paint thinner and lithium from batteries. Dr. Ern Gibbs-Van Brunschot, a University of Calgary criminology professor, said the federal government initiative is unlikely to shut down labs or stop traffickers. "I think that the impact will be pretty low, deterrence-wise," she said. "There are many people who are just going to do it anyway, who don't think about getting caught. There may be some individual deterrence, but general deterrence will likely be negligible." The public would be wrong to think meth dealers are now likely to get life in prison, she said. Few heroin or cocaine dealers are treated that harshly. "No one is likely to get a life sentence, but it will probably move the sentencing range up a bit." Annette Bidniak, a spokesperson for the Alberta Solicitor General's office, said "Let's see what actually happens. The maximum penalty for break and enter is also life imprisonment, and I've never head of anyone receiving anything like life for that." - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin