Pubdate: Mon, 17 Oct 2005
Source: Globe and Mail (Canada)
Copyright: 2005, The Globe and Mail Company
Contact:  http://www.globeandmail.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/168
Author: Petti Fong

CRYSTAL METH 'DISASTER' A PHANTOM, CAMPBELL SAYS

VANCOUVER -- Maple Ridge businessman Gord Robson sees a crystal meth
problem in each town he visits and he can't understand why Vancouver's
mayor does not believe the addiction is widespread and growing.

Mr. Robson said everyone from police to nurses to teachers have been
telling him more and more younger people are becoming addicted.

"I keep telling people the water is rising and we better get ready,"
said Mr. Robson, who said he understands how the mayor of New Orleans
felt when he warned people before hurricane Katrina. "And some of
these people say it's just a wave and there's nothing to worry about."

But some remain unconvinced. This weekend, Vancouver Mayor Larry
Campbell said warnings that crystal meth addiction is an epidemic are
exaggerated and a knee-jerk reaction.

"This idea that there's a huge crystal meth disaster happening in this
country is garbage," Mr. Campbell said at a forum on the city's plan
to prevent drug use.

Mr. Campbell said paranoia is feeding into some calls to restrict
sales of cold medicine, an ingredient in the making of crystal meth.

Mr. Campbell suggested better housing for addicts may be a solution,
but Mr. Robson, who is a mayoral candidate in Maple Ridge and leads
the Rotary-funded Crystal Meth Task Force, said finding houses for
addicts is not going to solve what he calls the "carnage" he has seen
in his town and other communities.

The number of people addicted has never been accurately documented.
But anecdotes nonetheless are powerful and frequently cited.

In some regions of British Columbia, police have said 100 per cent of
all under-18 car thieves are addicted to crystal meth and 70 per cent
of all property crimes committed are linked to people on the drug.

A recent report from the Surrey School District found 10 per cent of
the school population's 14,000 students said they have tried meth.

Last month, Premier Gordon Campbell told city councillors and mayors
from around the province that crystal meth is a filthy drug that ruins
people's lives forever and announced $2-million in funding to
communities to start programs and another $3-million for
public-awareness messages.

Ottawa has also signalled its belief that the use of crystal meth is
far-ranging and merited severe penalties. It recently toughened and
lengthened jail sentences for crystal meth production and possession.

There is enough anecdotal evidence from schools, police and hospital
workers to indicate that crystal meth addiction is real, said Murray
Langdon, a facilitator on the Greater Victoria School District task
force on crystal meth.

By the time all the evidence is in regarding crystal meth, Mr. Langdon
said yesterday, it will be too late to begin prevention programs.

"Right now, we're trying to be that ounce of prevention," he said. "Is
this the only drug problem in B.C.? No. Is it the biggest problem? No.
Does it have the potential to be a bona fide nightmare? Yes."
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MAP posted-by: Matt Elrod