Pubdate: Wed, 27 Sep 2006 Source: Vue Weekly (CN AB) Copyright: 2006, Vue Weekly. Contact: http://www.vueweekly.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2918 Author: Carl Conradi REPORT BY PREMIER'S TASK FORCE ON CRYSTAL METH MISSES THE POINT I had never much considered the problem of crystal meth until I moved in to an apartment just a few blocks away from Edmonton's Greyhound station. I had experienced meth highs in other people, and I knew it wasn't the type of addiction you'd want to cuddle or nurture. This perception was entrenched when I had to coerce a meth-addled traveller out of her rage by spending the night in her room, indulging deeply depressive thoughts until the sun came up. Earlier that evening, she'd exploded out of her hotel window, sending shards of glass through the sky. Two of my friends were sent to the hospital. It was not a pretty sight. But, again, I hadn't fully realized how pervasive an issue it had become in Alberta until I moved downtown. Now, every night, I'm treated to a chorus of manic screaming and moaning, and when I peek through my blinds, I see young people my age scratching their flesh to ribbons. Having recognized the need to address this nightmare--which is as much if not more a problem in rural Alberta than it is in the cities--the provincial government created a task force to investigate the culture of crystal meth and to make appropriate policy recommendations regarding its prevention, treatment and legal status. Their report, which was summarized in a news release issued on Sep 19, is controversial both in terms of its findings and its recommendations. For example, Recommendation 21 states that "Alberta Human Resources and Employment should require all Alberta employers, through their workplace safety policies, to adopt a drug and alcohol policy that fosters drug-free Alberta workplaces and worksites. They should also encourage employers to support drug education and prevention programs and employee self-referral programs for addictions treatment." This recommendation is particularly salient within the context of Alberta, as the task force discovered that during this current period of economic prosperity, when recruitment has become an increasingly cumbersome task, workplace management often refuses to see drug use as a priority issue. Employers are now quick to turn a blind eye to drug users, as they have a vested interest in retaining qualified employees. The rationale behind Recommendation 21 is that employers should pay more attention to their employees' habits, all in the interest of improved staff productivity. Evidently, however, staff retention is perceived as being more important that staff productivity, and it will be a very difficult challenge to convince workplace management otherwise. Even more controversial is Recommendation 61, which states that, "The Government of Canada should enact and/or amend legislation that places a reverse onus on the accused, requiring them to prove that the possession of precursors [household chemicals used to produce meth] was for a purpose other than meth production." Justification for this recommendation comes from the United States and Australia, both of which already follow policies of reverse onus in cases dealing with meth. The problem here is twofold. First, precursor chemicals are extremely common and include products such as cold medications, drain cleaner and paint thinner. The fact that the presence of such household items could instantly and legitimately incriminate the accused is arguably questionable. Second, reverse onus is an extremely unfamiliar idea to the average Canadian. In essence, it states that an individual accused of meth production would be considered guilty until proven innocent. Is this form of law something we as Canadians should be comfortable with? Finally, Recommendation 71 suggests that, "The Government of Canada should rescind its policy of requiring Aboriginal people to return to their home reserve for treatment services. This would allow Aboriginal people to choose treatment where they want it while still receiving federal government financial support." This recommendation is special insofar as what it points out about the status quo: non-reserve Canadians are free to receive rehabilitation services wherever they want, whereas reserve Aboriginals are forced, often at a great inconvenience, to return to their own reserves. One should be shocked to read this fact, as it smacks of humiliating apartheid. In addition, the task force points out that, "There are no [conventional] detox or treatment facilities located on Aboriginal reserves and limited detox capacity outside of the major two centres [of Edmonton and Calgary]." Once again, the question must be asked: is this a situation we as Canadians should be comfortable with? At the end of the task force's report, it becomes very clear that any initiative to tackle the problem of crystal meth--and of drugs in general--must be collaborative. Our attention is drawn to the success of Hinton's local Family and Community Support Services Agency, which was responsible for the construction of a firm, meth-fighting nexus between law enforcement, AADAC and the municipality. Crystal meth use is pervasive, and it has become a community affair. We must take note of the users who stand outside of our windows in the early hours of the morning, and we must recognize them as our neighbours. We must realize that this is a very public scourge that should offend our pride as Canadians, and we should see that we each play a part in its perpetuation--through the prosperity most of us enjoy, through the laws we choose to uphold and through our conscious and shameful decision to collectively ignore. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine