Drugs are being sold in Smithers schools. And the buyers are getting younger. After a drug bust at Smithers Secondary School earlier this month, principal James Cameron is calling on parents to "wake up" and realize there is a very real drug problem in Smithers. "There is a serious issue around drugs in our community -- period... And the schools would be a reflection of the community," he said. "Drug dealers are always in the schools. They're often, remarkably, people we don't know, so it's not the typical people you'd think. And for some reason you just never ever catch drug dealers. This case was a fluke." [continues 608 words]
Burns Lake RCMP welcomes a NDP bill to restrict the sale of common cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine, the key ingredient in crystal methamphetamine. But the bill has failed to impress Solicitor General John Les, even after it received the support of the B.C. Federation of Police Officers. Les said he has received extensive advice about drug labs, and police management has made it "very clear that our issue is the bulk importation" of crystal meth components. Police have intercepted shipping containers from Asia containing large amounts of precursor chemicals, and large, sophisticated labs run by organized crime. [continues 159 words]
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. [continues 505 words]
