Pubdate: Thu, 12 Jan 2006
Source: Journal Argus (CN ON)
Copyright: 2006 Journal Argus
Contact:  http://www.stmarys.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2197
Author: Robert Todd
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

OFFICIALS PROPOSE WAYS TO CRACK DOWN ON METH

Perth County officials will soon recommend the provincial government 
back a plan to increase the minimum sentence for production of 
methamphetamine, fund programs to treat users of the drug and make it 
easier for police to inspect dwellings believed to house clandestine labs.

At a December meeting, The Perth County Task Force on Crystal Meth 
came up with five tentative proposals to offer a province-wide 
working group dealing with the meth trade, North Perth mayor Ed 
Hollinger said in an interview last week. The group hopes the tactics 
will block the expansion of the meth trade, which over the past few 
years has spread from Canada's prairie provinces to Ontario.

Hollinger is one of several mayors from towns in the county to sit on 
the Perth County task force. Perth County medical officer of health 
Dr. Rosana Pellizzari and Stratford mayor Dan Mathieson co-chair the 
group, which has held public education and discussion forums since September.

Their recommendations will be forwarded to a province-wide working 
group created last August to examine the meth trade and consider ways 
to halt its spread.

"These recommendations are ones that we think (could be) put in force 
as easy as possible," Hollinger said.

They are as follows:

- -Training and equipment for first responders, including fire 
departments, ambulance services and police forces. Hollinger said 
that "(Meth) is a very dangerous product and they need to be fully 
equipped to accommodate any occasion where they might be called to a 
place to investigate;"

- -Community education through school programs and public information 
campaigns. Landlords should also be made aware of their rights, Mayor 
Hollinger said. "They are having a great deal of difficulty in 
dealing with people (producing meth) in their facilities. Whether 
it's a vacated farm house they rent or an apartment they can't get 
the people out of;"

- -A five-year minimum sentence for anyone caught producing or 
trafficking meth. "We're finding a number of individuals have been 
caught with (meth) and are out of jail very quick," Hollinger said. 
This proposal adds to a move last August by the federal government, 
in which maximum sentences for producing or distributing meth were 
upped from 10 years to life imprisonment;

- -Services to treat meth addicts. "Presently there's no means of 
treatment that exists, either with our health unit or hospitals, for 
this type of drug addiction," Hollinger said;

- -Greater powers for police in dealing with drug-related crimes.

"We think that the police programs could be enhanced by the province 
in relation to drug-induced crimes, in relation to the disadvantage 
police have in trying to maintain or get a search warrant," Hollinger said.

"Even if they know the product is being produced, it's very difficult 
for them to get a search warrant to get into the premises."

Hollinger said the group will reconvene late this month or early in 
February to put a price tag on the proposed changes. He added that 
British Columbia has allocated about $7 million to enact similar 
proposals, including $2 million for treatment programs.

The provincial government wants the province-wide working group, of 
which Dr. Pellizzari and Perth County OPP inspector Daniel Rioux are 
members, to finish its work by spring, Hollinger said.

Hollinger, meanwhile, said the province must quickly take action on 
the meth problem.

"I think it's very difficult to stop the spread of this unfortunate 
drug," he said. "But to slow it down with some programs, I think we 
have the ability to do that, but we've got to act fast and that's 
what the province has to do."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman