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." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom