Pubdate: Sat, 10 Sep 2005 Source: Nanaimo News Bulletin (CN BC) Copyright: 2005, BC Newspaper Group Contact: http://www.nanaimobulletin.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/948 Author: Beth Blackburn Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) RISK FACTORS INCREASE WHEN USING STREET DRUGS As we embark on another school year, it starts in Victoria with a very tragic beginning. A 13-year-old girl ingests what she believes to be the drug ecstasy and dies. My first thought? Why did this happen? It is a 100 per cent preventable death. The drugs purchased by youth on the streets are of unknown makeup and concentration. There is no quality control on the manufacturing of these street drugs. This young girl put her safety, and ultimately her life, in the hands of a drug dealer whose only care in the world is money. It is no mistake that a drug like crystal meth is being found in tablets sold to unsuspecting teenagers as ecstasy. This is a deadly game of Russian roulette that youth are playing with their lives. The result? A 13-year-old girl paid the highest price of all - her life. Ecstasy is not a safe and harmless drug. It is a stimulant amphetamine drug in the same family of drugs as crystal meth. Ecstasy is MDMA (Methalydioxy-methamphetamine). It is usually found in a tablet form, but on B.C. streets it is not likely that you will find a tablet containing 100 per cent MDMA. In studies done by RCMP Drug Awareness Service in the past six years in B.C., the trends show that the tablets more than 50 per cent of the time contain some methamphetamine. This has been on a steady increase over the years. Ecstasy tablets are also being laced with other stimulant drugs such as ketamine, caffeine and ephedrine. These could lead to very tragic results to the user. On Sept 15, at 6 p.m. a public forum will be held at McGirr elementary school to talk about crystal meth. It is in our community and it has a negative impact on the citizens of Nanaimo. It is time for the citizens of this community to take a stand against drugs like crystal meth. I encourage every citizen to come to the meeting and get involved because this drug in our community effects everyone. Community problem needs a community solution. - ----------------------------------------- Const. Beth Blackburn is with the RCMP's Drugs and Organized Crime Awareness Service. - --- MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman