Pubdate: Wed, 05 Apr 2006
Source: Lakes District News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 BC Newspaper Group
Contact:  http://www.ldnews.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2288
Author: Quinn Bender
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

METH FORUM GETS UNPRECEDENTED ATTENDANCE

Area residents packed into Lakes District Senior Secondary last  
Monday for a special presentation on crystal methamphetamine.

Keynote speaker, drug and alcohol councilor Angela Marshall, urged  
Burns Lake to be especially vigilant in reporting suspected meth labs  
and dealers, noting rural communities are favored for meth production.

"It's perfect. Making meth produces a strong odour, so ideally you  
would want to set up your lab away from large populations, and nosey  
neighbors."

Marshall, who has delivered meth awareness presentations to audiences  
world wide, including to the United Nations, added that labs are also  
very simple to build.

"Anyone in the community can have a lab up and running in a day.  
Everything you need is already here."

Burns Lake RCMP says they have not had any reports of meth labs in  
the area, but a Meth Watch Program is in place with local pharmacists  
and hardware retailers.

The key ingredient in meth is pseudoephedrine, a common  
pharmaceutical found in cold medicines. It accounts for 50 per cent  
of a meth recipe. The other half consists of highly corrosive and  
toxic chemicals ranging from industrial solvents to household cleaners.

"When these labs explode," said Marshal, "they can take out a whole  
block."

Meth prevention and education recently placed high on the RCMP's list  
of priorities for 2006, due to what they say is an aggressive push by  
dealers to hook users of other drugs considered less dangerous.

"They're lacing meth into [marijuana] joints without telling the  
victim, said Burns Lake RCMP Staff Sergeant Brad Handoga. "They're  
also disguising it with food coloring and passing it off as ecstacy.  
These are just two examples."

Former meth user, Hayden Schmidt shared his experiences with the  
forum audience, underscoring the loneliness and isolation of addiction.

"You can't function with other people because you're angry,  
irritable, anti social. You see things that aren't there."

"I can feel the effects of getting high just by sitting here  
listening to people talk about it. I've been clean for six months, so  
where does this desire to get high come from? It's something I'll  
feel for the rest of my life."

By several indicators, meth use is on the rise. Orders from cold  
medicine manufactures account for only 30,000 of the 70,000 units  
that legally enter the country every year.

Marshall praised Burns Lake for making what she called an  
unprecedented showing of support from a community this size.

Event organizer, RCMP Cst. J.A. Wilkinson scrambled to find chairs  
for the audience as it swelled beyond the expected turnout of 50 or  
60 residents. In the end, approximately 300 people attended the  
forum, with some figures estimated as high as 400, an equal turnout  
to a similar forum held recently in Prince George.

"The fact that Burns Lake had as much attendance as Prince George, is  
a credit to the community's commitment in keeping meth out of our  
community and out of our schools."

LDSS students Breanne West and Genelle West, who attended the event  
with their mother, said they haven't witnessed any hype surrounding  
meth use among students, nor have they seen it in the school, but  
they do feel that parents and administrators are right to be concerned.

"I don't think Meth is a problem, but it could be," says Breanne  
West. "So education is always important, especially when you're  
dealing with something like this. "

Cst. Wilkinson received requests for meth awareness presentations in  
communities outside the Burns Lake area, which he says the detachment  
will gladly facilitate.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jackl