Pubdate: Tue, 23 Aug 2005
Source: Peace River Record-Gazette (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Peace River Record-Gazette
Contact:  http://www.prrecordgazette.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1232
Author: John Pigeon, R-G Staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

RCMP - MORE CRACK-COCAINE THAN METH IN PEACE RIVER

When I spoke with Peace River RCMP Corporal Ged Dentinger he told me
"We haven't seen a big increase in methamphetamine use in town,"
adding that, "We're lucky."

This is very true, Peace River is very lucky. Dentinger said that one
of the big problems that officers have to deal with in town is
crack-cocaine. Although crack is a horrible and life-wasting drug, the
effects of meth on a user's health and brain are extremely damaging
and irreversible. The ease with which meth can be made is also a
rising concern amongst law enforcement issues since meth can be made
with products that are primarily sold over the counter in the United
States.

Methamphetamine is also known as meth or crystal meth and has become
known inside the drug world as "the cheap-man's cocaine." Stern
warnings have been yielded in both the United States and Canada as to
how fast the drug is sweeping the two nations.

The Edmonton Journal posted a story with an anonymous drug user saying
that he could get high for a few hours on $80 worth of crack where $80
worth of meth would get him high for a week.

Last Thursday Canada announced life-sentences would be handed out to
meth producers and traffickers. An article produced on that same day
from Reuters Canada said that meth addiction battled that of its main
competition crack-cocaine calling the withdrawals "more severe and
long-lasting."

The World Health Organization has labeled methamphetamine "the most
widely used illicit drug after marijuana" in the world.

I have had some first-hand experience with meth users. They are not
much unlike those who use crack. In a lot of ways there are similar
effects such as constant jitters and lack of a focus in what they are
saying or what is being said to them. There is a certain amount of
desperation that is present if the user hasn't had a recent fix. The
scariest part of all is that most meth users were at some point
regular people that could live next door. One day-care owner in
Calgary couldn't believe the fact that her two neighbors, a couple who
were in their thirties had set up a meth lab in their house. She said
that they had seemed like nice enough people but had appeared
anti-social in recent months.

There has been little-to-no opposition towards stricter laws against
meth in Canada. I don't think anyone in his or her right mind could
stand up and defend a drug with such horrendous affects to the
individual and the community.
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MAP posted-by: Derek