Looking to expand its reach and influence the former Fort Macleod Crystal Meth Coalition has a new name and new logo. The group will now be known as Standing Tall Against Alcohol, Nicotine and Drugs, or STAAND. The new name and logo were revealed at a barbecue Wednesday at the community hall. "The coalition wanted to change the name so it wasn't just about crystal meth, but encompassed all addiction," coalition co-chair Val Campbell explained. The coalition asked for submissions from students at F.P. Walshe school for the name and logo and received more than 50 entries. [continues 219 words]
The Fort Macleod Crystal Meth Coalition held its second workshop on Sept. 25, inviting Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission counsellor Gwen Reimer and a former addict to educate those in attendance about what some say is the most dangerous drug available today. Reimer told the close to 40 people at the community hall what crystal meth is, how it can be used, the negative effects it can have and how you can help someone who is using crystal meth. "I'm not here as an expert, but to give you sort of the nuts and bolts information about crystal meth," Reimer said. "I want to give some insight about how to help as a parent, a community or a professional." [continues 445 words]
The severe beating of an 18-year-old Stand Off man last month has brought back a flood of memories for Elvis Shot On Both Sides. "Everything I thought I had left behind me all came back," he said, adding not long ago he would break down whenever he talked about his son. Casey First Charger, was murdered two years ago in what Shot On Both Sides says was a gang-related act. Shot On Both Sides believes the same people involved in that attack were also involved in last month's attack, which saw a group of men assault August Joel Many Fingers in the early morning of July 24. Many Fingers sustained serious head injuries and was airlifted by STARS air ambulance service to Foothills Hospital in Calgary where he was listed in serious but stable condition. [continues 448 words]
One of the first keys to combatting any problem is to recognize there is a problem and Fort Macleod's Foothills Centre has taken a proactive approach to the problem of crystal meth. Program facilitator Pat Mandryk has begun a crystal meth support group he hopes will help people across southern Alberta deal with the consequences of the drug. "A lot of communities are developing coalitions and this is something more to help address the issue," he said. "It's not a huge problem right now, but it's a growing one and it would be easier to deal with it now than later when it is a huge problem." [continues 425 words]
The Fort Macleod Crystal Meth Coalition is holding an information night on Wednesday, June 28 to introduce the community to the province's new Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act, which will come into effect on Canada Day. The information session will be held at the library at 7 p.m. Susan Cannon from the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission will be the featured speaker for the evening. "Part of our mandate is to provide information to the community on addictions," coalition co-chair Val Campbell explained. "Since this act will come into effect on July 1 we thought it would be interesting for parents so they will know what options are out there. [continues 249 words]
Liverpool Will Host A Major Conference On Cannabis Tomorrow. It comes just days after Tony Blair said school heads are to be given new powers to order pupils to undergo random drugs tests. The Prime Minister said head teachers would be issued with new guidance on how to deal with pupils they suspect are taking drugs including provisions for spot testing pupils. The conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the city centre will welcome experts in the field to give insight into the drug debate. On January 29 this year, cannabis was reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug. [continues 304 words]
Liverpool will host a major conference on cannabis tomorrow. It comes just days after Tony Blair said school heads are to be given new powers to order pupils to undergo random drugs tests. The Prime Minister said head teachers would be issued with new guidance on how to deal with pupils they suspect are taking drugs including provisions for spot testing pupils. The conference at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in the city centre will welcome experts in the field to give insight into the drug debate. On January 29 this year, cannabis was reclassified from a Class B to a Class C drug. That move has fuelled renewed interest in the topic and the conference brings together experts to provide information about key aspects of that debate. It has been organised by the Liverpool-based health advice service HIT along with Liverpool John Moores University's Centre of Public Health. Andrew Bennett, director of HIT, is giving one of the speeches at the conference. [continues 243 words]
Four years ago, after the failure of his lottery referendum, then Governor Don Siegelman admitted that he had no plan B. While Riley's concession speech was not nearly that bad, I have decided to compile a top-ten list of things the state can do to save money, just in case they need the help. 1.Cut the legislative pork. Some of the accountability measures discussed still need to be passed. A recent Birmingham News article gave $120 million as a possible estimate of pork spending last year. I have no idea what the basis of this number is or how accurate it may be, but I have no doubt that elimination of special project spending by legislators would be significant. [continues 502 words]
The Jefferson County sheriff's office and the Central Arkansas Multi-Agency Enforcement Organization Drug Task Force have been busy busting methamphetamine labs recently, according to Arkansas State Police Sgt. L.A. Franklin, a supervisor with the task force. He said Thursday five to nine such labs have been taken down in the last few months. Wednesday a concerned citizen came to the sheriff's office and reported a possible meth lab in operation at 1110 Richard Allen Road, where there was an uncommon amount of traffic. [continues 311 words]
