Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jun 2005
Source: Victoria Times-Colonist (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Times Colonist
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/481
Author: Jeff Bell
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

CRYSTAL METH SPREAD PROMPTS BATTLE GROUP TO FORM

A community group is being formed to fight the spread of crystal 
methamphetamines among young people in the capital region.

The Crystal Meth Victoria Society, to be officially unveiled June 8, has 
been spearheaded by a local man with a family member who was caught in the 
web of crystal meth addiction.

"That is the genesis of his interest in this," Victoria Coun. Helen Hughes 
said Thursday.

"He has worked very, very hard to get this society going."

Hughes said the number of crystal meth users treated at Victoria's Youth 
Detox Centre has seen an alarming increase in recent years, jumping from 11 
per cent of the centre's clients in 2000 to 61 per cent in 2003-04.

One major factor in the crystal meth issue is that the "recipe" for making 
the drug is available on the Internet, she said.

"Anybody can make it, and it's made with ingredients that are easy to find. 
Until the federal and provincial governments get their act together and 
stop the sale of large quantities of some of these substances, we're going 
to continue to have these problems.

"I don't know why it's taken so long for something like that to be put into 
place."

Several groups and individuals have contributed to the creation of the new 
crystal meth group, Hughes said.

"The Family Court Committee has made crystal meth one of their major 
concerns, and they've been working with the Youth Empowerment Society and 
detox centre with regard to the formation of this society."

One focus of the society will be getting information on dealing with 
crystal meth to young people and their families, Hughes said.

A web page is being set up to help with that goal, she said.

The society will also advocate for the needs of young addicts and be 
something of a support group for parents, Hughes said.

"The parents go through hell, they really do.

"Sometimes it causes a family break-up or certainly great consternation 
within a family."
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