Pubdate: Sun, 03 Dec 2006 Source: Morning Star, The (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 The Morning Star Contact: http://www.vernonmorningstar.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1352 PREVENTION AND AWARENESS PROJECT TARGETS LETHAL DRUG Crystal Methamphetamine Can Potentially Do All of the Above and More, Which Is Why the North Okanagan Crystal Meth Prevention and Awareness Project Was Recently Formed. Through government funding, North Okanagan social service providers and other members of the community are being educated on the impact of crystal meth and prevention and awareness. The project uses research primarily from the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies' own crystal meth project, Prevention, Awareness and Community Education (PACE). The local project's goal is to take a pro-active approach, by educating the public before meth becomes a problem in the area and possibly prevent the spread of its destructive wrath. While meth is increasingly making headlines and creating major concerns within communities all over the world, its presence is still fairly small in the North Okanagan. Through discussions with authority figures, physicians, those in close contact with back alley drug users and drug users themselves, each of them say that crystal meth is nowhere near as evident as drugs such as cocaine, marijuana or ecstasy. But that's not to say it isn't here or that it will remain hidden. "Is it around? You bet. Is it an epidemic yet? No. But notice how I say yet," said Rachael Neuhaus, Vernon Community Policing Office co-ordinator. Local research by the Project on Adolescent Trajectories and Health shows that within the Vernon School District alone, 2.5 per cent of students report using crystal meth. - --- MAP posted-by: Elaine