Pubdate: Fri, 30 Sep 2005
Source: Tacoma Daily Index (WA)
Copyright: 2005 Tacoma Daily Index
Contact:  http://www.tacomadailyindex.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2605
Author: Tom Fletcher, Black Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

COMMUNITIES SEEK HELP WITH DRUG PROBLEMS

Crystal Meth, Marijuana Grow Ops Concerns For Municipalities

VANCOUVER - Delegates started off the Union of B.C. Municipalities 
convention Wednesday with a call for provincial help to deal with 
their two main community drug problems: crystal meth addiction and 
marijuana grow operations.

Led by delegates from Vancouver Island, the convention unanimously 
endorsed a resolution calling for increased education about the 
hazards of methamphetamine use and on-demand detox beds for addicts 
who are seeking help to get off the drug.

Esquimalt Coun. Ruth Lane told delegates about a recent tour of 
Victoria streets with B.C. Solicitor-General John Les, during which 
they met young people using meth.

"One hundred per cent of those kids said, 'Get me off this drug, this 
poison,'" she said.

The problem is that there are only five beds for youth drug detox for 
all of Vancouver Island.

Saanich Coun. Bob Leslie said education is need in schools to reach 
pre-teens who are now being exposed to the drug and don't understand 
its health hazards.

"It's the 13-, 14-, 15-year-old boys and girls being open on the 
street with sales," he said. "Mentally, they can be ruined for life."

A delegate from the district of Kent gave an example of a "catch and 
release" effect of law enforcement. A meth addict broke into his 
mother's home, she called 911, but police released him. He broke in 
again and cut himself, threatening suicide, but he wasn't held for 
medical reasons, and broke in a third time. "She eventually had to 
flee the home," he said.

The UBCM also endorsed resolutions from Kelowna and Abbotsford aimed 
at eliminating residential grow ops. Kelowna called for a 
provincially funded pilot project in Abbotsford and Surrey to be 
extended around the province.

The pilot project used a team of electrical inspectors, fire and 
police staff to conduct safety inspections of grow houses and shut 
them down based on municipal fire code and other regulations.

Abbotsford Mayor Mary Reeves received unanimous support for her 
community's call for better regulation of sales of hydroponic growing 
equipment used in pot farms. Municipalities want sellers of 
hydroponic equipment to be required to submit records of customers 
and transactions to local police, similar to regulations governing 
pawn shops and second-hand stores.

The resolution notes that children are present in about 20% of 
marijuana grow ops, which contain often hazards such as weapons, 
booby traps and other drugs as well as fire hazards associated with 
wiring and hot lights.
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MAP posted-by: Elizabeth Wehrman