Pubdate: Fri, 06 Mar 2009
Source: Alberni Valley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2009 Alberni Valley Times
Contact:  http://www.canada.com/vancouverisland/albernivalleytimes/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4043
Author: Shayne Morrow
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?241 (Methamphetamine - Canada)

CRYSTAL METH TOUR VISITING ALBERNI

Society Will Bring Its Message To The Valley March 11, 12

The Victoria-based Crystal Meth Society of B.C. will be bringing its 
message to the Alberni Valley, with five presentations set for March 11 and 12.

Director Mark McLaughlin said the society reached has over 40,000 
B.C. students since it first took the tour on the road in 2006.

"We do school shows in the daytime and community hall presentations 
in the evening, and work with the media throughout to raise 
awareness," McLaughlin said.

To that end, they'll be making the presentation at 12:45 and 2:30 
p.m. on March 11 at ADSS, followed by a 6:30 p.m. session at the Port 
Alberni Friendship Centre. Then on March 12, it's back for a third 
presentation at ADSS at 9 a.m., followed by a 1 p.m. session at VAST.

The Meth Info show includes 37 minutes of video and slides, including 
the 18-minute video, Death by Jib. That's followed by a 
question-and-answer session.

"The video itself is great - bang for buck, I don't thing there's any 
better," McLaughlin said. "But it also need a proper wrapper, so we 
bookend it with an 'intro' and an 'extro .'" The Q&A sessions can be 
extremely lively - and emotional, he added.

The Port Alberni Community Crystal Meth Task Force, which was formed 
in late 2005, conducted a number of successful community events 
before disbanding in 2008. McLaughlin said the efforts of community 
groups across the province have had an effect on crystal meth use, 
but the problem definitely hasn't gone away.

"We've helped give meth a bad name. But drug dealers are still 
selling meth out the back door," he said. "Nowadays, most street 
drugs are laced with crystal meth. Our local (Victoria) RCMP have 
said that 50% of the ecstasy on the street tests hot for crystal meth 
- - some tests 100% meth. We had a number of children overdose on those 
pills lately."

McLaughlin noted that dealers are also cutting both powder and crack 
cocaine with crystal meth. It's cheap and it makes for a more 
prolonged high. But the trade-off is increased paranoia, psychosis 
and even death, he added. In the process, we've gone from sedated 
criminals (heroin) to extremely violent and unpredictable criminals 
with crack and meth.

"If you're following all that lead you see flying in the Lower 
Mainland, that's all about drugs," McLaughlin said.

The society has conducted surveys of students who see the Meth Info 
show, and it provides some interesting statistics, McLaughlin said.

"Twenty-two percent of the kids who see our show say the know someone 
who is meth-involved - 44% say they know someone who uses ecstasy," 
he said. "Thirty-seven per cent say meth is easy to get and 95% say 
they would never use meth after seeing our show - 96% recommend it to others."

McLaughlin said the society is now working on a new program for Grade 
4 and 5 students, in co-operation with the Victoria School District 
and the provincial education ministry.

For more information call the Crystal Meth Society of B.C. at 250-744-4111.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom