Police in western P.E.I. have been doing a pretty good job lately gathering up caches of illegal drugs. They've gathered up cannabis, prescription drugs, cocaine and other drugs in various quantities. It's likely they are only beginning to scratch the surface, but their efforts are noteworthy. While the charges still haven't been proven in court, we can always hope that recent police activity will convince some drug dealers to get out of the business. Drug trafficking and illegal drug use cause nothing but harm to society. [continues 419 words]
ALBERTON -- Rod Callaghan's son is addicted to drugs. Last year, he was picked up by RCMP for violent behavior and taken to the mental ward of an Island hospital. Health-care workers later called Callaghan to inform him they were releasing his son. "I said that I don't think that he should be released. I guess the doctor thought that it should have been me in the mental hospital," he said. "That was on a Wednesday and that weekend (my son) robbed the Reads Corner Esso (in Summerside) and held a man at knifepoint. [continues 537 words]
Bev and Bill Semple are living a nightmare. Their son is a drug addict, and for the last nine years they have watched their beautiful little boy inch closer to death. Over the years, Bev said she has seen things go from bad to worse. Her son has continued to become more dependent on drugs, like cocaine and Valium, and is going to greater extremes to acquire them, she said. Their son, who is in his early 20s, is now in jail for breaking into and stealing from homes. [continues 1194 words]
For those who might doubt the "youth of today" new numbers suggest young people can -- and do -- learn from their mistakes. Study results released by Statistics Canada suggest the majority of young people who have contact with youth or adult criminal courts face the spectre of the bench only once. The study looked at court referrals, following the criminal paths of 59,000 young people over a 10-year period (from age 12 to 21 years). It suggested that 55 per cent of the young people who found themselves in court never came back during the study period. [continues 440 words]
Editor's Note: This is the second in a series by Amber Shea dealing with the subject of drug abuse and treatment on P.E.I. Watch the Journal-Pioneer for more in this series. Thomas is 14 years old, but he has seen his peers drop out of school, go to jail and get kicked out their homes because of their addiction to drugs. About a month ago Thomas learned his best friend, who he's known since age six, was using drugs. [continues 1148 words]
When Maggie's son died she could not deal with the loss. She turned to drugs to numb the pain. Her child's life was claimed by Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and soon after, she was using heroin, cocaine and a cocktail of prescription drugs to help kill the memory of her darling little boy and what she had lost. "But it didn't work. I still remember him, like it was yesterday," she said, her voice going quiet. Around the same time, years before their marriage, Maggie's husband Gordon was becoming addicted to the same drugs as Maggie. [continues 1419 words]
Methadone treatment is growing in popularity as a method to treat prescription drug addiction on Prince Edward Island. Prior to 2004, the only way to receive methadone was by finding one of a handful of Island doctors with the certification required to administer it. In September, 2004 a methadone treatment pilot program was established at the Provincial Addictions Treatment Facility in Mount Herbert. Health Minister Chester Gillian said the program started with 12 patients. Today, the program has expanded to close to 50 patients with 27 on a waiting list. [continues 1171 words]
There's a need - both natural and compelling - that drives us to ask "why" a tragedy happens, as RCMP commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli expressed in his recent speech at the national memorial service for four murdered Mounties. As Zaccardelli said, there's danger in moving too quickly and in avoiding the imperative of response. In the days following the terrible shootings on an Alberta farm, increased attention has been focused on marijuana grow operations. Consts. Peter Schiemann, Anthony Gordon, Leo Johnston and Brock Myrol were gunned down as they kept watch over an investigation site, the property of Jim Roszko, where a grow operation had been uncovered. [continues 336 words]
The Editor: An article I read in the paper brought back memories to me of a little girl. Her happy eyes were chocolate brown and her chestnut colored hair with golden highlights bounced when she walked. Her little-girl voice always had the sound of laughter in it. I was amazed at how smart she was. She mastered reading and writing at a very young age. It was remarkable how gifted she was. Capable of reading and spelling far beyond her age group. She was loveable and loved everyone. Adoring her Mom, Dad and grandparents, she made them cards, drawings, dandelion bouquets and gave cinnamon-toast flavored kisses. [continues 1065 words]
Police officials who are calling for more training to help police detect drug-impaired drivers make a compelling case. Police officers are running into more people driving under the influence of drugs and they need to be better equipped to deal with this trend. The obvious answer is: give them the money they need to get the job done and consider it an ongoing investment in responsible law enforcement. But will that happen? It's fair to say that when most people hear the words 'impaired driving' they think booze. But according to Charlottetown Deputy Police Chief Richard Collins, there's a growing 'target group' of people who may be impaired by either prescription or non-prescription drugs, and that neither the law nor its enforcers are equipped to deal with this phenomenon. In fact, there are only about 24 police officers across Canada, including one in P.E.I., who have the specialized training required to charge a motorist suspected of being under the influence of drugs. [continues 236 words]
Police say they are unarmed to fight the growing number of Islanders who drive under the influence of drugs. Only 24 police officers across Canada - -- and just one in P.E.I. -- have the specialized training needed to charge somebody who may be behind the wheel of a car while under the influence of either prescription or non-prescription drugs. Charlottetown Deputy Police Chief Richard Collins says it is imperative more police officers are trained to spot drivers who may be under the influence of drugs and legislation must be changed to give police officers more powers to crack down on these drivers. [continues 509 words]
It's not just the ability to throw a punch that's the mark of a true boxing champion. Champions have to take some punches, too. As heavyweights go, George Chuvalo was one of the greats. He could dish 'em out and he could take the punches. The most vicious blows he took, however, came outside of the ring. Drug abuse robbed three of his sons of their dignity and later robbed them of their lives. When it comes to drug abuse, George Chuvalo is a walking textbook. [continues 402 words]
A total of 172 marijuana plants were seized across the Island last week by members of the L Division, the PEI RCMP drug division. The plants were located last Thursday during the RCMP's annual fly over done with the aid of a national department of defense helicopter. The plants were located simply by sight and no charges will be laid. "It's an eradication process," RCMP Corporal Ray McCormack said. "We simply find the plants and take them." Plants were uncovered from as far east as Souris, and as far west as Wellington. [continues 126 words]
The setting may have been a crowded classroom but there was no kidding around as the candidates seeking election in the riding of Charlottetown faced a group of students at the Full Circle Co-operative private school Thursday. One hot button issue after another from abortion to same-sex marriage to the legalization of marijuana were on the agenda as Liberal Shawn Murphy and the Green Party's Will McFadden fielded questions from the students who are in Grade 5-12. [continues 599 words]
BORDEN-CARLETON - Last year was a bumper year for drug seizures in Borden-Carleton, with an estimated $500,000 plus of narcotics seized in that municipality, the majority of the haul from vehicles. Police Chief Jamie Fox said he didn't have precise figures available, but he believes the value of the seized drugs was dramatically higher than the year before. Most of the drugs were hashish or marijuana, said Fox, noting a disturbing trend in which there seemed to be a rising incidence of drugs used in vehicles, and though drivers generally weren't the ones consuming the drugs, they were often still at risk of becoming impaired, since passengers would be smoking hash or marijuana. [continues 343 words]
Growing drug use and better investigative techniques have helped lead to a huge increase in drug arrests on Prince Edward Island, according to the RCMP. A recent study from Statistics Canada showed Canada had a record number of drug-related charges in 2002, most for cannabis. There were 93,000 incidents reported, three-quarters of them for pot. Sgt. Richard Thibault, communications officer for 'L' Division of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said the reported increase came as no surprise to his colleagues. The RCMP shares joint drug operations with the Charlottetown and Summerside police forces. [continues 365 words]
CHARLOTTETOWN - The shooting last month of Donagh resident Rae MacFarlane is believed to have been drug related, RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Richard Thibault said this morning. MacFarlane, 51, was shot more than once in his Donagh home in the early morning hours of Jan. 17. The man was rushed to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital by ambulance with life-threatening injuries and later moved to an undisclosed location, believed to be off-Island. RCMP has indicated the shooting was not a random act and believe it may be connected to the execution-style shooting death of MacFarlane's brother Robert in 1997 in Halifax, N.S. The 34-year-old man was murdered by a Quebec hit man who was a police informant on the Hells Angels in Quebec. His murder was a contract killing. [continues 321 words]
In the 14 years since the Crime Stoppers program was introduced to Prince Edward Island there has been one overriding goal - to make homes and communities across the province safe places to live. All indications are that it's working. Rona Brown, president of P.E.I. Crime Stoppers, says the program has achieved some positive results. "Crime Stoppers has become a useful weapon in the battle against crime," Brown said. "Since the program was launched here in 1989, tips have been responsible for solving numerous crimes against persons, crimes against property and crimes involving the cultivation, importation and sale of illegal drugs." [continues 562 words]
Ottawa's efforts to decriminalize marijuana have raised many alarms on both sides of the border. Some law enforcement officials have warned about the threat posed to the public by drivers whose judgement is impaired by weed. There are also legitimate concerns marijuana is a gateway drug, a first stop on a slippery slope to hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin. But opponents of legalizing marijuana are missing something right under their noses. There already is a gateway drug out there and it's perfectly legal for any adult to buy and use. It's called nicotine. [continues 367 words]
There are 500 addicted Islanders whose health is at risk because of a lack of needle exchange and methadone treatment programs in the province, a recent study says. But the province's health minister says it will be at least next year before government begins to look at programs targeting intravenous drug users. On Friday, AIDS P.E.I. released the results of a study into the problem of Islanders using needles to shoot up cocaine, opiates and other drugs. The group estimates 500 people in the province regularly use needles to take drugs and said the evidence is they are placing themselves and others at risk of contracting AIDS or hepatitis C. [continues 483 words]
Inside Prince Edward Island
