Pubdate: Fri, 03 Feb 2012
Source: Medicine Hat News (CN AB)
Copyright: 2012 Alberta Newspaper Group, Inc.
Contact:  http://www.medicinehatnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1833
Author: Peggy Revel
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy)

KILLER ECSTACY NOT IN HAT YET

Medicine Hat hasn't seen any cases of the tainted ecstasy linked to 
13 deaths in Western Canada -- but that doesn't mean the drug isn't 
on its way here.

"We haven't seen anything of that nature here yet," said S/Sgt. David 
Brandrith of the Medicine Hat Police's organized crime unit regarding 
the killer drug that police from other regions have linked to eight 
deaths in southern Alberta and five in B.C.

It is believed all the victims thought they were taking ecstasy but 
it also contained high levels of the toxic paramethoxymethamphetamine 
(PMMA), nicknamed "Dr. Death."

There is "no doubt" there is ecstasy within the City of Medicine Hat, 
said Sgt. Brandrith, but none of what the police have seen so far has 
been the kind tainted with PMMA.

But that doesn't mean the police aren't worried the tainted drug will 
appear locally.

"We're right on the Trans-Canada Highway, a lot of the drugs that 
make its way to Medicine Hat are sometimes from Calgary and some of 
the bigger centres," said Staff Sgt. Brandrith about the drug showing 
up in Medicine Hat. "So definitely it's a big worry."

Barbra Madonko with the Medicine Hat Cares Centre, which provides 
advocacy and services for people with HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, said 
that worries over the tainted drugs means that they have been talking 
with their clients about the risks, and trying to get the word out.

"We just want to apply harm reduction in place, so that people are 
aware, that's how we're focusing on it," said Madonko, who said they 
will also be putting up posters in other locations -- such as 
Medicine Hat College -- to help spread awareness about the risks.

The deaths have spurred Alberta Health Services officials and police 
in Calgary to expand education campaigns aimed youth about the risks 
of taking drugs like ecstasy.

Staff Sgt. Brandrith noted that locally, ecstasy is already a part 
about of the education component that the police's Community Safety 
Unit has in schools now.

The deaths and incidents have been brought up when speaking with the 
youth about ecstasy, he said, and the unit is looking at an expansion 
to the program.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom