Pubdate: Fri, 21 Oct 2005
Source: Calgary Herald (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005 Calgary Herald
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/calgary/calgaryherald/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/66
Author: Jason Fekete, with files from The Canadian Press
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

PROVINCE TO SEIZE DRUG ADDICTS' KIDS

Law Would Be First In Canada

The Klein government launched an offensive Thursday against illegal drug 
activity, announcing it will introduce legislation this spring to "rescue, 
defend and shelter" youth ensnared in drug-afflicted homes.

The legislation -- which would be the first of its kind in Canada -- is to 
protect children exposed to parents participating in illegal drug activity, 
including abuse, production and trafficking.

It would give the province the power to scoop youths from parents or 
guardians tied to drugs and allow the government to lay what's essentially 
child abuse charges under child welfare legislation.

The province would provide a support system for children removed from a home.

"It's a law to safeguard children from those who would abuse children 
through drugs," Premier Ralph Klein told reporters, noting the legislation 
is being proposed by Children's Services Minister Heather Forsyth.

"It involves not only crystal meth, but crack cocaine and other harmful drugs."

Klein also announced his government will form a task force -- headed by his 
wife Colleen Klein -- aimed at curbing the escalating abuse of crystal 
methamphetamine.

Klein, who unveiled the strategy at his premier's dinner in Red Deer, 
specifically targeted crystal meth, insisting tackling its abuse is a 
priority for his government over the next two years.

"It's an absolute poison and it's a scourge on society and it's time to 
talk about it," said Klein.

He said the province may also look at controlling the sale of ingredients 
used to make crystal meth -- "Sudafed in particular."

Colleen Klein said she's repeatedly heard "horror stories" about the drug 
and it's time to reach out to youth and educate them about its crushing 
effects.

"It is absolutely deadly," she said of crystal meth.

"No human being should be putting fertilizer and Drano and iodine, all 
mixed together with a little ephedrine, into their system.

"It's killing our children," she said.

"It's killing some unborn baby. The effects of this are so far-reaching and 
devastating."

Along with Colleen Klein, the task force will be co-chaired by Robert 
Westbury of Edmonton, the chairman of the Alberta Centre for Child, Family 
and Community Research.

The task force will work with the Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission 
on implementing education programs aimed at school-aged children.

Led by AADAC, the government will also next summer implement separate 
legislation -- originally passed in the spring -- that allows for mandatory 
assessment and detoxification for drug-addicted youth.

Although Alberta's drug treatment agency recently opened a dozen detox beds 
in both Edmonton and Calgary, they are for voluntary patients.

So funding is needed to open detox beds for young people who will be held 
against their will, said AADAC's Marilyn Mitchell.

"The legislation calls for those young people to be confined for five 
days," said Mitchell.

"During that period, they need to be confined and assessed and supported 
through their withdrawal from the drug."

Mitchell said those beds are expected to be in place by next summer to meet 
the deadline set by Klein.

Just last week, the Klein government (through AADAC) launched a $450,000, 
four-week television campaign as part of a public awareness strategy to 
deter youths from sampling crystal meth.

The TV ads illustrate crystal meth users vomiting, fighting and breaking 
out in sores.

One of the two commercials mimics a prescription drug ad and depicts a 
smiling couple while a narrator extols the "benefits" of crystal meth.

Highly addictive and very cheap, crystal meth has ravaged several 
northwestern U.S. states and threatens to do just that in Alberta.

Meth is a central nervous system stimulant that can make users feel 
energetic, confident and alert.

With prolonged use, however, addicts can become paranoid and violent.

The federal government previously said it will move meth to Schedule 1 of 
the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, which places it on the same 
footing as drugs such as cocaine, and sets out stiffer penalties for 
possession and trafficking.

The changes will increase the maximum penalty for production and 
distribution of meth to life in prison, up from the current maximum of 10 
years.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom