Pubdate: Thu, 16 Mar 2006
Source: Carillon, The (CN MB)
Copyright: 2006 The Carillon
Contact:  http://www.thecarillon.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2340
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

Crystal Meth Seen in Schools

DRUG FORUM DRAWS LARGE CROWD		

A nearly-packed gymnasium audience in Ste Anne Thursday night heard 
how the consequences of ignoring an impending crystal meth scourge 
could be disastrous.

"Crack cocaine has brought with it many deaths, destruction of 
families, and a lot of crime...what crack cocaine has already done, 
meth is going to do tenfold," predicted Dale Ridley, a guest speaker 
at the Ste Anne crystal meth forum.

The event was organized by Ecole Pointe-des-Chenes parent committee 
chairwoman Nicole Massicotte and hosted by principal Raynald Dupuis.

Ridley--a recently retired 26-year-veteran of the Winnipeg Police 
Service and a Ste Anne parent--spent 13 years with the Drug Unit 
department and shared his insight and stories gleaned during that time.

After describing what methamphetamine, or meth, is (ephedrine or 
pseudoephedrine slightly molecularly altered), Ridley emphasized no 
one should make the mistake of thinking the man-made drug is an urban problem.

"States like Missouri, Iowa, where there are many farming 
communities, are seeing their youth destroyed by this drug," he 
noted, also recalling working on a case with law enforcement 
officials in Fargo, ND. about six years ago.

"At that time, they told me that at least 85 percent of their drug 
work was because of meth."

Meth labs are notoriously volatile, he noted, because a "cook" using 
the (most commonly used) burning red phosphorus method can easily 
become a highly explosive situation.

Makeshift Meth Lab

When Ridley and his fellow officers attended a home on Valour Road in 
Winnipeg being used as a makeshift meth lab, the drug dealer was in 
the middle of a cook.

"Had the ethyl ether found near the heat source ignited, it would 
have been enough force to take out four houses, if it had exploded," 
Ridley pointed out.

He also explained why meth is so attractive to drug dealers and addicts.

Since many natural or plant-derived substances like cocaine have to 
be imported, there's a far greater risk of the dealer getting caught, 
whereas anyone can buy what they need to make meth anywhere in North America.

One of the reasons youth find crystal meth so attractive is 
price--$10 gets them one 'point' of crystal meth, about a quarter of 
the price of a comparable amount of crack cocaine. And the high lasts 
more than four times longer--between eight to 12 hours.

But the devastatingly downside of the drug was driven home by Carole 
Johnson of Winnipeg, who shared her harrowing journey as the mother 
of a crystal meth addict who died at age 17.

Her daughter Colleen was a soccer star, an honor student and a 
beautiful, sweet-natured, loving girl, Johnson told the hushed 
audience of hundreds.

In fact, Colleen's friends loved her so much they just finished 
making a homemade scrapbook for her 19th birthday said Johnson, 
holding up the photo book and reading some touching tributes to the teen.

While Johnson noted that her child did not die of her crystal meth 
addiction specifically, rather a car crash, she died because of her 
addiction. "She was with her drug dealer, (she) would have never been 
in that car otherwise."

'Very Violent Death'

However, Johnson noted that before Colleen's "very violent death" 
came years of "absolute hell" for the whole family.

Colleen's grades plummeted and she disappeared for days on end, 
leaving her family sick with worry filing numerous missing persons 
reports. Most of the time, she was hanging out with her fellow 
junkies at Winnipeg's Central Park.

Johnson said Colleen was developing sores on her skin, typical for 
meth addicts who experience the sensation of bugs crawling under their skin.

"Meth addicts will pick these scabs off and eat the scabs, because 
there is meth in them and they want to get the meth back into their 
bodies," Johnson explained to gasps of disgust from the audience 
while others squirmed in their seats.

Building on crystal meth attractions described by Ridley, Johnson 
said dealers are resorting to insidious methods to peddle the drug to 
girls--they pitch it as a weight-loss method.

But the Winnipeg mother, who works at the University of Manitoba, 
said the evening was also a time to celebrate a small victory in the 
war on drugs.

"My prayers have been answered, as a new law has just been passed. . 
.that allows parents to bring their children to detox for five days." 
In her view, "five days is still not enough, but it's a start," she noted.

Acting Ste Anne Police Chief Brian Brunelle emphasized drugs are the 
reason for the increase in local crime people "hear on the radio, or 
read about in The Carillon."

"The break, enter and thefts, armed robberies--those crimes are 
drug-related and keeping police in southeastern Manitoba very busy."

Crystal meth definitely has a presence in Ste Anne, and it is in Ste 
Anne's schools, said Brunelle, adding all parents should be concerned 
based on conversations he's had with high school students.

"In the schools, marijuana is passe; students have moved on to the 
harder drugs. Teens want the 'in-thing'," the police constable warned.

All the guest speakers, including AFM prevention and education 
consultant Roxanne Sarrasin, offered advice and suggestions on what 
can be done.

Parent-child communication came up the most frequently as one of the 
best drug prevention methods. Ridley even told parents they shouldn't 
afraid to search a sock drawer or two when they come across something 
suspicious.

"Parents, you've got to be curious. Get into their things. Let them 
know you're not going to let them get away with it...teenagers can be 
a pain, but they're worth it and they've got to know we care."

Last week, La Broquerie's Ecole St Joachim hosted a community crystal 
meth evening that also capped off a day of health-related activities 
at the French language school.

The Rosenort PTA is sponsoring an evening on crystal meth on Monday 
(March 20). It begins at 7 p.m. in the Rosenort School gym.

One of the featured speakers at the Rosenort crystal meth forum will 
be Carole Johnson.

Niverville has scheduled a crystal meth forum for Thursday, April 20 
at the Niverville Heritage Centre. Door open at 7 p.m.

Similar forums were held late last year in Steinbach and in January 
at St Pierre-Jolys. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake