Regulations forcing property owners to pay for drug-related costs under criticism across B.C.; PG rules different While several B.C. communities have adopted bylaws forcing property owners to take responsibility for grow-ops and clandestine drug labs, the fine print may end up punishing the innocent. The District of Mission faces harsh criticism and a class action lawsuit from residents claiming the city's $5,200 inspection fees on properties with unusually high hydro consumption is little more than a cash cow for the municipality. [continues 465 words]
The trend in the Cariboo (as well North Central B.C.) is the arrival of more Asian-descent residents from the Lower Mainland who purchase properties "for the sole purpose of housing marijuana grow operations," said RCMP Sgt. W. Brown, Williams Lake detachment commander. "We believe this trend is related to Asian organized crime," Brown said after RCMP there took down their sixth grow operation this year in a residence in 150 Mile House. Brown said "a modest 2,500 plants" and related growing equipment were seized and a man and woman were arrested at the scene. Both face charges of production of, and possession of a controlled substance for trafficking purposes. The estimated yield value of their operation is $2 million. RCMP in Williams Lake have seized about 11,000 marijuana plants so far in 2010. [end]
Medical health chief supports safe injection sites Despite controversial opinion on the value of safe drug-injection sites, the chief medical officer for Northern Health says they are a legitimate and responsible tool that should be considered throughout B.C. Dr. David Bowering says the benefit to people is that safe injection sites "reduce the risk of spreading disease like HIV/AIDS, reduce risks of overdosing and reduce the risk of drug deaths." Said Bowering: "Not to say we're ready for this yet in Prince George, and the only way we could establish something like this would be in partnership with all the other agencies and people involved, but it should be considered by health authorities when they are planning their harm-reduction activities. It's probably a long way off, but it is something we are talking about." [continues 391 words]
Statistics show that Crime Stoppers works well to make Prince George a safer place to live. Since 1991 when the round-the-clock program for anonymous reporting of crime information was established, there have been 7,307 calls including about 500 last year. During the past 18 years, Crime Stoppers has recovered a whopping $19.4 million in narcotics and last year was responsible for $337,990 in drugs seized in the area. Since 1991 Crime Stoppers has been influential in 1,345 arrests and $2.52 million in property recovered. [continues 137 words]
An Aboriginal Youth in Crisis task force has been created to address the HIV/AIDS and intravenous drug use epidemic among First Nations people in northern B.C. Dan George, president of Four Directions Management Services Ltd., will lead the task force. George said Aboriginal people throughout northern B.C. are forging ahead with their own action plan to identify, marshall and focus on the crisis at hand. The news comes in the wake of a Citizen story last week that showed HIV rates among Aboriginals in the North have more than doubled during the past two years. [continues 495 words]
Alarm bells continue to ring in Prince George with the number of HIV cases now totalling 25. Mary Lea Penrose, public health nurse at the Northern Interior Health Unit, said 11 new infections have been reported this year, adding to 14 existing cases. Of the total, 19 are males and six are females. "The tests have all taken place in Prince George, and all but four live in the city," said Penrose. "Our concern is that a number of people out there may be at significant risk, but have not been treated." [continues 299 words]
Following four years of operation, the methadone clinic will close its doors in Prince George on Nov. 30. Founder and co-owner Bill Leslie said it's been "dying by attrition." "When a client leaves, we can no longer fill that space with a new client." There's no lack of clients, but the problem is finding doctors to provide the methadone which helps abusers get off heroin, morphine and other opiates. The only doctor active in the MetaClinic is Dr. Peter Morry from Houston who travels here every two weeks to see clients. [continues 349 words]
The Methadone Clinic in Prince George is so busy it can't take any more clients until there's a second doctor on board, said founder Bill Leslie. "We have 40 to 50 new clients that want to get onto the program, but we have to turn them away at this time," said Leslie, who's searching for a doctor who'll serve at the clinic one day every two weeks. Dr. Ian Postnikoff comes to the MetaClinic, 825 Second Ave. three days a week. [continues 278 words]
The Drug Awareness and Recovery Team (DART) Society in Prince George has taken a big step forward to give support and hope to those recovering from drug or alcohol abuse. "In January, DART was officially incorporated under the B.C. Societies Act," said founder Bob Scott, who has struggled four years to get the project into a legal position. "This is a unique program and one you won't find just anywhere," added Scott, who is also a recovering drug addict. "DART, in its simplest form, is about post-treatment care." [continues 280 words]
