Pubdate: Wed, 21 Sep 2005
Source: Okotoks Western Wheel (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Okotoks Western Wheel
Contact:  http://www.westernwheel.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1638
Author: Pamela Roth

DRUG USE ON THE RISE

RCMP Claim Crack And Crystal Meth More Prevalent

When a mother's 17-year-old son became addicted to crack last 
December, the life of her and her family in Okotoks, as they knew it, 
would never be the same.

What began as petty thefts from his mother and sister in order to 
support his growing and costly habit, soon turned into the thefts and 
vandalism of vehicles just for kicks.

But it wasn't until Christmas Day that everything erupted and the 
four-month nightmare began.

It was then when Jane, who doesn't want to use her real name, found 
out that her son had taken her family heirloom ring in order to 
purchase some crack.

"I think when you are addicted to crack, it controls you 24 hours a 
day," said Jane, who feels she only knows the tip of the iceberg when 
it comes to her son's drug usage. "That will drive them to the lowest 
of the low. They will do anything when they are on it."

Jane's son has had to pay the consequences for his actions and spent 
numerous hours in and out of the court system as a youth, even 
serving a five-week jail sentence last April.

Even though he claims he has since weaned himself off the highly 
addictive drug, her son still battles other drug addictions to 
alcohol and marijuana on a regular basis.

But Jane's frustrations are beginning to be echoed throughout the 
community as crack and other powerful drugs, such as crystal meth, 
are starting to appear more and more in Okotoks.

Cst. Geoff Carpenter of the Okotoks RCMP is the coordinator of the 
Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program and is also noticing 
an increase in the presence of heavier drugs in the community.

"Crack cocaine is definitely in Okotoks, as well as other drugs," 
said Carpenter. "What percentage of drug users are using that, I have 
no idea, but we are certainly noticing an increase for sure."

Carpenter isn't exactly sure just what is causing the increase in 
crack, but has a few ideas of what it might be.

The fact that Okotoks borders a major Canadian city is one factor he 
has pegged as a potential reason, as well as the town's soaring 
growth and society in general.

Although crack is considered as a highly addictive drug, it's crystal 
meth that really has Carpenter on the alert since it's beginning to 
creep its way into the southern part of the province.

AADAC statistics show that alcohol and cannabis are still the two 
most widely used drugs in Alberta, but crystal meth is becoming a 
more popular drug because of its availability and it's cheap.

The drug is a stimulant that is synthetically produced in labs and 
made from ingredients bought in local drug and hardware stores, 
making it not only highly addictive, but a major concern for police.

"Our focus more so than on any other drug is Crystal Meth right now 
because it's so highly addictive," said Carpenter. "It certainly has 
an effect on everybody. They get so addicted to it that when they 
find their needs to support their habit has run out, they typically 
turn to crime. Their decision-making process slips and they aren't 
thinking down the road what the consequences are."

Those who do become addicted to the drug can experience sleep 
problems and extreme depression, schizophrenia-like disorder 
including violent or paranoid behaviour, repetitive behaviour 
patterns and visual or tactile hallucinations.

Soon after using the drug, people can hallucinate, have strokes or 
seizures, and are also prone to impulsive behaviour.

Crack, on the other hand, is the street name given to the freebase 
form of cocaine that has been processed from the powdered cocaine 
hydrochloride form to a smokable substance.

Because the drug is smoked, the user experiences a euphoric high in 
less than 10 seconds, but the high only lasts usually five to 10 minutes.

Smoking the drug can also cause particularly aggressive paranoid 
behavior and acute respiratory problems.

Even though both drugs are equally addicting, AADAC councillor Judy 
Walbridge won't put the two in the same category as far as its 
effects on the body.

According to Walbridge, crack can cause a long-term imbalance in the 
brain, but does not cause permanent brain damage the way that crystal 
meth can to its users.

"The long-term effects on the brain are reversible, whereas with 
Meth, you are doing permanent brain damage basically," said Walbridge.

"Both drugs are very addicting. It's a matter of months sometimes 
between experimenting and being physically or psychologically hooked. 
The high is so high and the lows are so low afterwards that the 
tendency to want to use again is stronger."

Even though local RCMP are beginning to see more of the drugs on the 
streets, Walbridge said she hasn't seen an increase in the amount of 
users seeking help for their addiction or any full-blown addicts in the area.

It's clear that the drug is present in town, but Carpenter doesn't 
think that Okotoks is any different than other communities its size 
when it comes to the amount of usage.

His only hope is that he can educate as many students and parents as 
he can about making the right choices before it's too late.

"I think we, as a community, are trying to do the most possible to 
contribute and deal with it," said Carpenter, who hopes to have a 
DARE program for parents in place by late fall. "Some parents are at 
their wit's end and they don't know what to do. There are just so 
many drugs out there right now, that they are at a lost cause."

Unfortunately, addiction problems still continue to plague Jane's son.

As a result of his criminal behaviour, he has been placed under a 
deferred custody order, while his mother desperately continues her 
efforts to get him into another AADAC addiction program before he's an adult.

"There are good days and bad days. It's been an absolute battle and 
it's ongoing all the time," she said. "It's so difficult to press on 
as a parent. There is a part of him that wants to get help and 
change, but there is a huge part of him that's only doing this to 
stay out of jail. People love him. He isn't one of those typical 
people, but he is probably one of the darkest wonders this town has."
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