Pubdate: Fri, 12 Aug 2005 Source: South Delta Leader (CN BC) Copyright: 2005 South Delta Leader Contact: http://www.southdeltaleader.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1241 Author: Jeff Nagel Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) OTTAWA CRANKS UP METH SENTENCES Producers and traffickers of crystal meth will face stiffer penalties as high as life in prison, the federal government announced Thursday. Methamphetamine, sometimes known as "the poor man's cocaine" because it is cheap to make, will join drugs like cocaine and heroin covered under Ottawa's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. That moves the maximum penalty for production, trafficking, possession and importing or exporting of meth from a present 10 years to life in prison. Crystal meth is easily produced in small clandestine labs, often in kitchens and bathrooms, but are notoriously dangerous, often causing hazardous chemical fires. Meth addicts are also among the most difficult to treat. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth