Pubdate: Sat, 12 Aug 2017
Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB)
Copyright: 2017 Canoe Limited Partnership
Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/letter-to-editor
Website: http://www.winnipegsun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503
Author: David Larkins
Page: 5

HIDDEN DANGER

Family finds drug paraphernalia tucked away in hotel room

A Winnipeg hotel is changing protocols for housekeeping staff after a
family found a syringe and "rocks" of drugs inside their room last
weekend.

Nicole Hamm said her husband Neil located drugs and paraphernalia
hidden on a ledge underneath the bathroom sink of their Victoria Inn
Winnipeg hotel room last Saturday. In photos and video posted to
Facebook by Nicole Hamm, a syringe is visible, as are three white
"rocks" of an undetermined substance placed in spoons.

Nicole Hamm said the family felt their concerns were "swept under the
rug" by staff on duty that day.

Hamm said she didn't know what the drugs were and said that meant
potential danger for her four kids, aged 1 to 14.

"It could have been fentanyl for all we know," she said, referencing
the deadly opioid that can be fatal if handled improperly.

"… My mind just keeps going back to what if my babies found that?
Imagine what would have happened. If my husband found it so easily, my
almost 2-year-old son, it would have been nothing for him to go and
think it was something to eat and put it in his mouth and then all of
a sudden I don't have a child."

Victoria Inn general manager Mike Rozier said he was "horrified" to
learn of the discovery, and ordered a refund on the room for the family.

"As a father, as a parent, for anybody, it's not a great feeling,"
Rozier said. "But that being said, it was there, so what do we do to
make sure that it doesn't happen again?"

Rozier noted where the drugs were found was in a place very difficult
to find, but said his staff will be alert to the possibilities of
hidden dangers in the future.

Rozier said every room has been inspected this week and renovations to
bathrooms, which had been ongoing prior to the discovery, will insure
the ledge that existed in the Hamms' room isn't present when the reno
work is complete.

"All of our housekeepers are fully aware of the situation that
happened and have been briefed on that and we're going to come up with
a program so that is regularly inspected," Rozier said. "… There's
going to be no nooks, crannies, cavities where items can be left or
stashed, to the best of our ability."

Nicole Hamm said she is "appreciative" of the changes the hotel is
implementing and said her Facebook post, which garnered more than
1,800 shares in 24 hours, wasn't meant to publicly shame the Victoria
Inn.

"My intent was never to attack the hotel and I tried to word it so
carefully," Hamm said. "I wasn't trying to hurt anyone or tarnish
their name, but I can say wholeheartedly I've never been so upset
about something in my life. … Honestly, I just want people to learn
from it."
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MAP posted-by: Matt