The Problem Has Been Clearly Defined. Now It's Time To Do Something About It. Results of the South Cariboo Methamphetamine Response Program were released on Monday night at a public forum at the Red Coach Inn. The program will be repeated June 18 at the same place, starting at 7 p.m. Stuart Clark, Project Co-ordinator and Executive Director of Educo, summarized the 75-page report, but warned against expecting too much too soon. "This is an effort that has to be seen in the long-term," he said. "Other places such as Richmond and Princeton have adopted a community strategy and they are seeing some very positive and encouraging results. We're hoping for similar results in this area. This (Monday night's meeting) is not a solution-based presentation." [continues 403 words]
Whether one likes it or not, drug usage affects everyone. So the answer to the problem may well be in convincing the young to not take them in the first place. "Drug addiction has to be looked at as a health problem," said Nora Walker, a communicable disease consultant with the Interior Health Authority. She was speaking during a presentation in 100 Mile House council chambers this week, outlining some of the challenges and possible solutions to the issue of drug usage that affects virtually every community in the province. [continues 383 words]
Randy Miller is, and has been, a lot of things in his life but above all he's a survivor and even that took a lot of luck. "I have no idea why I survived," said the affable former drug addict who was in town last week to describe for local students his 14 years living in Vancouver's downtown eastside, widely known as Canada's roughest slum. "I did speedballs (a mixture of heroin and cocaine) many, many times a day, and we used to just take a needle off the wall, sharpen it as best we could, then use it and put it back in the wall for the next guy. I have no idea why I didn't get AIDS." [continues 581 words]
