Pubdate: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 Source: Calgary Sun, The (CN AB) Copyright: 2012 The Calgary Sun Contact: http://www.calgarysun.com/letter-to-editor Website: http://www.calgarysun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/67 Author: Renato Gandia Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mdma.htm (Ecstasy) FIGHT IS JOINED Aldermen Pitch Campaign Against Deadly Drug The recent spate of drug-related deaths has prompted city aldermen to call for public education targeting users and youth vulnerable to killer ecstasy. Aldermen John Mar, Shane Keating and Dale Hodges want council to start a campaign against ecstasy with the help of the Calgary Police Service, Animal and Bylaw Services, and Alberta Health Services, among other agencies. Mar said the recent Alberta ecstasy deaths are alarming with at least 10 tied to the drug made with a particularly toxic compound that has been confirmed in Calgary, Red Deer and Nanton. "There is an imminent crisis facing the community creating serious public health and safety concerns," he said. Mar said despite significant reporting in the media on the deaths and injuries caused by the use of ecstasy, people continue to use it. Seven people have died in Calgary since July and most of the deaths have been attributed to ecstasy made with paramethoxymethamphetamine, or PMMA. The aldermen want bureaucrats to find partners for addictions education and an awareness campaign with a short-term focus on ecstasy and a longer-term focus on creating a sustainable drug prevention program. They're suggesting that up to $150,000 be withdrawn from the Fiscal Stability Reserve to be used for the program. City cops have stepped up their campaign against drugs with a new poster distributed at Calgary schools that compares the perils of ingesting drugs to eating a rotting sandwich. Mar wants officials to go to bars, use social media and other means to reach the demographic that uses drugs. Keating said more campaigning against the killer drug is needed. "What we can do is go to these sites and see if we can find out where the source is and educate those who are using this drug for whatever reason," he said. If approved by council next Monday, the aldermen want officials to make initial reports about their findings no later than June. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom