Pubdate: Wed, 14 Jun 2006
Source: Jasper Booster (CN AB)
Copyright: 2006 The Jasper Booster
Contact:  http://www.jasperbooster.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/788
Author: Kevin Gill
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

JASPERITES GET 'THE DOPE ON DOPE'

Jasper Booster -- From the local MP to a large group of Jasperites, 
the issue of drug use in the community was on the minds of many last week.

Yellowhead MP Rob Merrifield introduced a private member's bill in 
the House of Commons that would require mandatory minimum sentences 
for criminals convicted of a serious drug crime.

In a press release, Merrifield said that Canadians are sick and tired 
of drugs destroying communities and criminals getting off the hook.

Locally, the drug issue took centre stage for a number of residents 
with workshops involving healthcare, emergency services and social 
services staff in Jasper.

Det. Sgt. Steve Walton is retired from the Calgary Police Service but 
was a cop for more than 25 years, including work with the drug unit 
there. Since then he has operated a business called Get the Dope on 
Dope, which sees him travel around providing drug education presentations.

Although the bulk of his work involves speaking to youth, some of his 
audiences are similar to those he spent time with here last week. 
"Because they are healthcare professionals they can get put into 
awkward situations with drug users," said Walton.

This kind of learning for the people in these fields gives them the 
opportunity to do their work more effectively.

"It allows them to be a little safer in their jobs and brings them up 
to date with the world of drugs and the drug user," he said.

Those who attended the workshops and come in contact with drug users 
in their jobs found the workshop valuable.

"It's helpful for us to be protective of ourselves and for the 
patient as well," said Jayne Yearwood, a registered nurse and 
President of the United Nurses of Alberta Local 75.

She said some of the drugs that users are combining are causing 
highly aggressive behaviours in patients.

"They are mixing and combining stuff and it's a very, very dangerous 
situation that's occurring...it's only going to get worse," she said.

Part of Walton's job is to be familiar, with the specific drug 
culture in the different regions he visits. The drugs encountered 
most often in Jasper are marijuana, amphetamine-based drugs and 
cocaine, according to Walton.

"You'll see a smattering of heroin and of course every community 
deals with the diversion of pharmaceutical drugs," he added.

Jasper also sees the use of designer drugs like ecstasy and LSD, 
primarily because of Jasper's reputation as a place to party for 
young people, he said.

But, what he believes is the most disturbing drug trend, not only 
here but in many other places in the region, is the proliferation of 
drug production.

Walton said he would not be surprised at all if Jasper was currently 
home to one or more of what he called clandestine laboratories, where 
drugs are being produced.

Within the past couple of years there's been an increased awareness 
about drug issues in Jasper and Walton said that the more attention 
is paid to the problem the better of the town will be in the future.

"Feel empowered as a community, with respect to forming groups and 
committees that deal with drugs and drug related issues, because the 
criminals watch that," he said. "I'll tell you what the drug criminal 
doesn't want --they don't want a cohesive community. They want a 
disjointed community that has built up walls and barriers -- that's 
where they thrive."

Walton believes that it's the ordinary citizens, when there are 
enough of them that care about the problem, who can make the biggest 
difference.

"I see it all the time where the community takes the problem of drugs 
and they put it right at the doorstep of the police," he said. "The 
police are a function and a method of coping but they can't solve it 
- -- this is a community problem that the community can solve."

Yearwood said healthcare professionals are looking at having another 
workshop like this in the future and are considering the possibility 
of a public session as well.

"We need to keep our community safe because once the drugs and labs 
infiltrate Jasper we'll be looking at a very unsafe environment," 
said Yearwood. "We love Jasper and want to keep it safe."
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman