Pubdate: Mon, 10 Mar 2014
Source: Metro (Calgary, CN AB)
Copyright: 2014 Metro Canada
Contact:  http://www.metronews.ca/Calgary
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4471
Author: Jeremy Nolais

METH ADDICTION ON THE RISE IN ALBERTA

Youth outreach workers and counsellors say they aren't surprised an 
increasing number of young Albertans are seeking help to overcome 
addictions related to crystal meth.

Data provided by Alberta Health Services shows that 1,116 people 
between the ages of 12-24 sought treatment for meth-related 
addictions during the 2012-13 reporting period, a spike of 45 per 
cent over the four-year average.

Calgary police, meanwhile, also encountered meth more often in 2013, 
with 122 cases involving the drug compared to 90 the year prior.

Danene Lenstra, a program lead at the Alex Youth Health Centre, said 
she's seen a substantial increase in clients addicted to meth in 
recent years. She said the drug is often used as a "coping mechanism" 
or "escape" but often leads users down an even darker path - 
paranoia, aggression and inability to sleep are just some of the 
short-term side effects.

"The kids I've seen over the longer term I would say are absolutely 
changed forever," she said. "Even when I've seen them cleaned up, 
they were never the same."

Calgary police have consistently come across increasing amounts of 
meth in recent years. Total cases involving the drug have jumped 335 
per cent over the past half-decade when you consider meth was 
encountered just 28 times in 2009. But investigators have suggested 
some of the increase could be attributed to stiffer crackdowns on 
dealers and traffickers.

In September, city police touted a meth bust that saw $1.2 million 
worth of the drug taken off city streets, making it the single 
largest seizure of the substance in the city's history. Investigators 
followed up that haul with a $210,000 bust the following week.

But answers as to why the dangerous substance appears to be more 
popular in recent years among young adults and even minors are tough 
to pinpoint, according to those helping people combat addictions.

"Ultimately, I just think it's curiosity," said Peter Baka, program 
co-ordinator with The Last Door Recovery Society, which aids clients 
from across North America. "Other kids are doing it, they want to see 
what it's like so they experiment.

"The problem is you don't really know you have a problem until you 
do," he continued. "That's the pitfall of someone experimenting with drugs."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom