Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2006
Source: Whitecourt Star (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 Whitecourt Star
Contact:  http://www.whitecourtstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/718
Author: Nicole Quintal

NEW METH STRATEGY

Following the provincial government's acceptance of 83 
recommendations developed by the Premier's Task Force on Crystal 
Meth, Whitecourt Mayor Trevor Thain said if the province does have 
the moral fortitude to see the recommendations through, they could be 
effective for battling meth use in Whitecourt.

Following the provincial government's acceptance of 83 
recommendations developed by the Premier's Task Force on Crystal 
Meth, Whitecourt Mayor Trevor Thain said if the province does have 
the moral fortitude to see the recommendations through, they could be 
effective for battling meth use in Whitecourt.

"It would give the people that are addicted to meth and other 
substances a place to turn to for help," he said. "I have to believe 
that if you're addicted to a substance at some point or another 
you're going to realize that you want to get off of it, because if 
you don't we all know what's going to happen to you. You're going to 
die. The other side of the coin is we need to get rid of these creeps 
that sell this crap."

Some of the recommendations make note of developing prevention 
programs in both cities and rural communities. Three-hundred beds 
could also be added to hospitals in both the city and the country to 
treat addicts if the report follows through.

Thain said although the strategy could be effective, he thinks more 
needs to be done for drug problems in rural communities like Whitecourt.

"I think that we need to sort of band together and try to find ways 
that we can attack this problem in our communities from more of a 
regional basis than what's happening," he said. "In the major cities, 
there's lots of programs and facilities to look after these people 
who are addicted, but we don't seem to have that in the country."

Ultimately, he said it's great for the province to come up with 
recommendations to battle meth use, but they are only recommendations 
and won't be any good unless they're put into effect.

The Whitecourt branch of the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse 
Commission (AADAC) also commented on the strategy.

"We're always looking at supportive and collaborative approaches," 
Sharon Harry of AADAC Whitecourt said. "In regards to the task force, 
it does support some of the work AADAC does."

Harry added one of the strengths of the strategy is that it balances 
both prevention and treatment, which are two of the main themes 
contained in the report. A third theme focuses on getting tough on 
drug dealers and creators of meth, according to an Alberta government 
news release.

Another area the recommendations touch on is taking a province-wide 
approach to dealing with meth use. One of these recommendations 
states the government should create a fund available to communities, 
police, and service providers that would help aid the development of 
programs, which could possibly decrease crystal meth use.

Premier Ralph Klein developed the Premier's Task Force in October 
2005. The task force visited 12 communities and spoke with hundreds 
of Albertans in order to prepare the 83 recommendations. The 
provincial government indicates the task force considered 
environmental concerns, legislation and enforcement as a part of its strategy.
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