Pubdate: Wed, 01 Nov 2006
Source: North Shore News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 North Shore News
Contact:  http://www.nsnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/311
Author: Joanna Habdank

B.C. METH PROGRAM ANNOUNCED

$3 Million in Education Funds Promised

North Shore officials said they are hopeful that a $3 million crystal 
meth education program unveiled last week by the B.C. government will 
deter youth from falling in the trap of the drug's destructive 
effects already experienced by local kids.

"I've seen a number of kids who have been impacted by crystal meth, 
either themselves or their friends and their families and that impact 
has, in 98 per cent of the time, been severe," said Jeremy Church, a 
counsellor at North Vancouver's Keith Lynn alternative school. "From 
my perspective, anything that I can do to raise awareness in the 
school and in any way that the government can support me to do that, 
I'm in favour of."

The program is part of a wider $7 million commitment made last year 
by Premier Gordon Campbell for new initiatives to fight crystal meth 
use. It will include classroom lessons and resources, teacher 
resources, a parent's guide to provide parents with the information 
they need to talk to their kids about the drug, and an information 
website (www.no2meth.ca).

According to Elana Sures, a counsellor at West Coast Alternatives, a 
non-profit group helping individuals affected by alcohol and/or 
drugs, many kids didn't know what meth really was when they were 
first introduced to it, usually at a rave or a party.

She explained that the high felt from crack was too short and they 
were bored with ecstasy and wanted to try something different but 
didn't realize just how toxic and corrosive the new drug was. "In 
that sense, education is really important," she said. "Nipping it in 
the bud is absolutely the best form of attack. Even using it once can 
be harmful."

Even if kids do know about the effects, they may not know they are 
using it as crystal meth. It's often used to lace marijuana or other 
drugs, said Church.

Although it is unclear just how many kids are using it on a regular 
basis, crystal meth is addictive because it can trick people into 
feeling confident and euphoric and provides a rush of energy, 
according to the provincial website.

In addition to dependency, the health risks of long-term meth use 
include depression or paranoia and possible damage to the heart, 
brain and other internal organs

Unlike cocaine or heroine, it can be homemade almost anywhere using 
ingredients used in cold medications and other chemicals such as 
acetone, drain cleaner, lithium, iodine, paint thinner, kerosene, red 
phosphorous and muriatic acid.

"It can be made in your bathtub," said Alan Podsadowski, the 
executive director of West Coast Alternatives. He added that the 
chemicals can wear out the porcelain in the tub which is then mixed 
in with the other toxic chemicals. "Because of everything else that's 
in it, it's doing harm right away."

Last year the North Shore community formed the North Shore Crystal 
Meth Task Force, which had a 90-day public awareness campaign to 
confront the problem. Some local businesses are participating in a 
meth-watch, where stores look out for people who buy an inordinate 
amount of chemicals used in crystal meth, said North Vancouver RCMP 
spokesman Const. John MacAdam.

"Due to the fact that it's not a very expensive drug to buy, it 
essentially makes it easier to purchase for anyone," he added.

But such substance abuse is occurring province-wide, in affluent 
communities as well as the poorest postal codes, according to 
officials. The province is at the front lines in the fight against 
crystal meth as part of our commitment to safer communities, said 
Solicitor General John Les.

Les said in a press release that the province is working with police 
to shut down meth labs and bring down organized crime groups, but at 
the same time also needs to reach out to students, parents and 
teachers, so this education campaign is the natural next step.

Research shows that about five per cent of student in Grades 7-12 
have tried crystal meth, said Education Minister Shirley Bond in a 
recent release. The studies found that although 86 per cent of 
students have never used any of the so-called "party drugs," most 
first-time use of crystal meth occurs in Grades 9 or 10 and 
approximately 20 per cent of users become dependent.

According to Podsadowski, who has 30 years experience dealing with 
substance abuse, the number of kids using crystal meth may currently 
not be very high, but he worries it could signal the beginning of an 
epidemic similar to that of cocaine two decades ago.

"In 1985, our program which is based in North Vancouver had no one 
with a cocaine problem," he recalled. "By '86, '87 it just started 
coming in waves and it became so popular. Soon after that people 
began snorting and freebasing and using more addictive methods of 
using the drugs. Within three to four years, 30, 35 to 40 per cent of 
our case load was made up of people with cocaine problems."

For now, however, the most abused drug on the North Shore is 
marijuana, followed by alcohol and cocaine, said Sures. "A lot of the 
crystal meth users end up where the crystal meth scene is, which is 
Vancouver's downtown."

Those who are hooked on cocaine may eventually switch to crack 
cocaine because it's a lot cheaper. To get money they steal, sell 
things or use sex as a trade for drugs, said Sures.
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MAP posted-by: Elaine