Pubdate: Tue, 30 Oct 2012 Source: Kings County Advertiser, The (CN NS) Copyright: 2012 Transcontinental Media Contact: http://www.kingscountynews.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4746 ENOUGH IS ENOUGH Like many in our community, we at the Kings County Advertiser have watched with growing alarm as there have been more and more arrests for drug possession and trafficking in our community. The recent methamphetamine bust is yet another terrifying example of how rural Nova Scotia isn't as safe as we might like to believe. The meth bust involved alleged criminal activities throughout many communities in the Valley. The investigation involved numerous local agencies, as well as the federal RCMP drug enforcement unit. Police were able to recover about 10,000 meth pills, 10 pounds of marijuana, $22,000 in cash, 12 cartons of illegal cigarettes and an ounce of cocaine throughout their investigation, but it boggles the mind to think of how many drugs the alleged members of this ring may have been able to traffic over the course of the five-month investigation and beyond. It's easy to think that drugs are really only a problem in the big city. If nothing else, arrests like this- as well as the light that has been shone on the illegal prescription drug trade in the community in recent weeks - should make people aware that drugs are a serious problem here and it's one that needs to be addressed by all of us. Police say the recent meth bust has eliminated the top two tiers of the drug trade in the Valley - bravo to them for these arrests - but acknowledge that there will be likely someone ready to step into their shoes. The one saving grace with this, from a community and policing perspective, is that these newcomers won't be as well-established as their predecessors, do maybe easier to stop. However, there is a lot that we, as a community, can do to stop the drug trade while the police work at catching the people who are peddling drugs in our region. Police say it was a tip from an individual who didn't want these drugs brought into their community that began this investigation. Let's hope more and more individuals have that attitude and pick up the phone to make a call. The responsibility starts with parents to begin educating their children at an early age about the effect that illegal drug use - whether it's hard drugs like meth, illegal prescription drugs or anything else - can have on their lives. We have only to look to 20-year-old Katanna MacDonald as an example of what can happen: a young life cut down far too soon due to a stupid decision one night last June to consume methadone not prescribed to her by a physician. Her mother recently spoke out about her daughter's death as the woman who diverted the methadone was brought up on criminal charges. Wanda Martin is hoping that other people will seek help for drug addictions or, at the very least, think of what happened to Katanna as a result of a poor decision. No one wants something as tragic as this to happen to their child. Isn't it time that we, as a community, say enough is enough? - --- MAP posted-by: Matt