Members of the RCMP have extensive training when it comes to detecting whether someone is operating a vehicle under the influence of drugs. On Oct. 15, the provincial government made it law that anybody suspected of driving under the influence of drugs could be given licence suspensions prior to their day in court and could possibly be charged. Determining whether a driver is on an illegal substance depends on the keen observational skills of RCMP officers, said Edson RCMP Sgt. Jim Desautels. [continues 301 words]
The Edson and District Drug Action Coalition (EDDAC) will unveil a new program next year and this one will be aimed at parents. Kids and Drugs will debut in the spring of 2009, said EDDAC program co-ordinator Michele Lodewyk. She added, training will occur in January and will involve her and school liaison officer RCMP Const. Barb MacInnis. The program is a joint EDDAC/RCMP venture. "It goes hand in hand with DARE but we're actually going to talk with the parents." [continues 56 words]
A rash of thefts from area lease sites has RCMP on the lookout for suspects who could be making tens of thousands of dollars in profits from stealing and reselling copper wire. Since March, copper wire has been steadily disappearing from company sites, mostly in the rural areas of the county, according to Edson RCMP Const. Tracy O'Brien. Canadian Natural Resources Limited and Talisman Energy Inc. have been working closely with police to try and prevent more thefts. Both companies were hit numerous times at different individual sites each time, O'Brien said. [continues 575 words]
Dear Editor, I read with interest Mr. Eric Myrholm's telling missive War On Drugs Better Than Legalization, Dec. 17. What a cynical read on "the facts." Mr. Myrholm wants his argument to prevail so badly he does not weigh all sides of the story. Just remember a few things Eric, before changes in U.S. drug law we had about 1.5 per cent drug addicts in the U.S. and after half a trillion dollars wasted in anti drug bureaucracy, we are no closer to our goal of a drug free America and the number of addicts is the same 1.5 per cent. [continues 298 words]
To the Editor: In the Dec. 3 edition of your paper there was a letter from an "Apologist" against drug prohibition stating that: "Drug use is bad, but the drug war is worse." The Legalization Lobby claims that the fight against drugs cannot be won. However, in the U.S., overall drug use is down by more than one-third in the last 20 years, while cocaine use has dropped by an astounding 70 per cent. [An alleged] Ninety-five per cent of Americans do not use drugs. This is success by any standards. [continues 419 words]
Dear Editor: Regarding Rob Merrifield's Nov. 26th column: When it comes to drugs, mandatory minimum prison sentences are proven failures. If harsh sentences deterred illicit drug use, Canada's southern neighbor would be a "drug-free" America. That's not the case. The U.S. drug war has done little other give the former land of the free the highest incarceration rate in the world. The drug war is a cure worse than the disease. Drug prohibition finances organized crime at home and terrorism abroad, which is then used to justify increased drug war spending. [continues 92 words]
It has been a busy time in Ottawa. The House Committee has just passed a massive reform to the criminal justice system requiring mandatory minimum sentences for violent crimes, and raising the age of protection from 14 to 16. Our Conservative government has taken action on justice reform, but we believe that there is more to be done. We have recently introduced three justice bills to tackle young offenders, require mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers, and crack down on identity theft. [continues 406 words]
A proposed bill that is widely expected to have survived its final vote in Parliament last week will, if passed, toughen up punishments for impaired drivers across the country. According to area MP Rob Merrifield it's only a matter of time before the Tackling Violent Crime bill becomes law. The bill is a combination of five other proposed crime bills that were introduced in the last session of Parliament. Combined together, the new bill has been declared a confidence motion. This means, once it's read for a third time in the House of Commons, MPs must vote favourably, or see the government fall and an election triggered. [continues 452 words]
The symposiums have been over since the spring but the consultations and research gathering has continued for Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force chairperson Heather Forsyth. She was in the process last week of wrapping up the fact gathering process for the task force's final report which she estimated should be ready for submission to Justice Minister Ron Stevens by the end of September. But, said Forsyth, don't expect miracles right off the bat. "We want the report to be solid and doable. It's been a major undertaking - enjoyable but sad and happy. We've got a huge job ahead of us. People have to understand they're not going to see immediate results." [continues 324 words]
A sizable grant from the province's solicitor general will allow the Edson Drug Coalition (EDC) to begin its Restorative Justice Program (RJP). The funds of just over $24,000, targeted for the Healing Meth's Hurts RJP, wraps up a two-year set-up period for the program, chairperson for the EDC Edith Zuidhof-Knoop said. "This is the funding that will help us put that plan into action. We're now ready for it to be launched." The RJP program will involve non-violent substance abuse offenders recommended by the RCMP and the justice system. It brings together offender and victim on a face-to-face basis overseen by EDC coordinator Laurie McCallum. [continues 199 words]
The RCMP has spoken publicly about organized criminal networks operating in rural areas surrounding Edmonton including the Town of Edson. Sergeant Jim Desautels of the Edson RCMP said these networks, including motorcycle clubs and youth gangs, were attracted to the business opportunities they believe Edson's growing transient population offered. "It's no different than McDonald's having a franchise here; crime groups have franchises all over the place. And typically what the crime groups think is 'where do people go every Friday and Saturday night to have fun?', well they go to the bars, so of course they have people in bars doing their thing, selling drugs, taking illegal debts, loaning money, trading stolen property," Desautels said. [continues 863 words]
Gangs have moved beyond the stereotype of an urban problem and they've also moved into Edson. As our town has been growing we've attracted temporary workers for the industries that are booming around us. In many ways the growth has been positive for our town but it has also attracted some negative aspects. It has not been easy for Edson to deal with factors of the growth as we were not prepared for such a fast spurt. Some of the negative factors include higher drug use and crime rates that are all too often connected. [continues 264 words]
Boom and Bust economies have one thing in common, plenty of stressors. Those stress factors have been in much evidence lately as frontline workers at Aspen Regional Health mental health offices can testify. "I know we're getting more referrals -- especially from young families," Bob Lyons, regional mental health co-ordinator for Aspen Regional Health said. Other referrals are coming from single men under 30 and it concerns one particular stressor -- substance abuse. "A lot of referrals are coming in where drugs and alcohol are in the background. And there's a lot more cocaine than meth." [continues 246 words]
Since July 1, when the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act (PCADA) came into place, parents have filed 18 requests to enter youngsters into a detox centre. None of those requests have come from the Edson-Hinton area. Some pundits refer to the act as a last resort for parents, but an Alberta Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) official doesn't like the moniker. "It's another option rather than a last resort," Tom Mountain, residents manager for AADAC's youth services branch said. [continues 137 words]
To the Editor, Reading the letter,"Drug Wars"written by Robert Sharpe, printed in the June 5 edition of your paper, has prompted me to reply. The point of his letter appears to be that the drug war does't fight crime, it fuels crime. I recently read an article written by a young journalist who detailed some of her own experiences regarding the youth drug culture. In part she stated; "I don't support legalizing any mind-altering drugs because of three main reasons: personal experience,the untimely deaths of some close friends due to drug abuse, and obsevations as a journalist. I was 14 years old when Bert handed me and my friends our first dobbies. We toked the gateway drug that would lead to stranger and stronger mind-bending indulgences. Bert was dead at the age of 22-years-old from a drug overdose. It is a fact that marijuana is often a gateway drug for vulnerable teenagers and young adults. Mind-altering drugs including THC, the active ingredient in marijuana are chemicals that pollute the human brain. Doing life "clean and sober" is a natural high with no regrets." [continues 127 words]
Regarding your May 15th editorial, cracking down on illegal drugs is easier said than done. Attempts to limit the supply of illegal drugs while demand remains constant only increase the profitability of drug trafficking. For addictive drugs like heroin, a spike in street prices leads desperate addicts to increase criminal activity to feed desperate habits. The drug war doesn't fight crime, it fuels crime. The good news is that Canada has already adopted many of the common sense harm reduction interventions first pioneered in Europe. The bad news is that Canada's southern neighbor continues to use its superpower status to export a dangerous moral crusade around the globe. The U.S. provides tragic examples of anti-drug strategies that are best avoided. [continues 100 words]
Edson has, rather unfortunately, become known as a drug haven for dealers. And we all know this is not how we see our fine town. However, law enforcement can only do so much, without help from everyday folks. The RCMP cannot be everywhere, or see everything, nor would we welcome that big brother-type of lifestyle here. But for those of us who live in the community, who drive through it and who raise their kids here -- we need to be the eyes and ears in order to prevent crime. [continues 279 words]
Some time ago I attended a school assembly on the teenage dangers of thinking we are immortal, such as drugs, drinking and driving, etc. For quite a few of the students (myself included) the presentation made an impact. However, some individuals giggled through the entire affair. Now, don't get me wrong I sometimes looked at the speaker like he was a couple tacos short of a combo meal due to some of his comments, but I kept these thoughts to myself in order to be respectful. [continues 252 words]
Methamphetamine gets a lot of headlines these days, but an old stalwart is still hanging in there at the Edson Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission (AADAC) office. "Alcohol seems to be the number one drug of abuse," AADAC area supervisor Edith Zuidhof-Knoop said. Other popular drugs in Edson and area included crystal meth, marijuana and crack cocaine, she added. It all adds up to busy days for AADAC staff. "There just never seems to be an end to our work," Zuidhof-Knoop said. [end]
The 2005 crime statistics for Edson have been compiled with a few surprising numbers. After a spike in drug activity in 2004, total offences were down to 58 from 104 leaving the RCMP with a feeling of cautious optimism. "We're in a bit of a transition right now," Cpl. Glenn Henry said. "We had some high profile people that we took out." Cpl. Henry said his detachment has been focused on keeping dealers off the streets and right now there has been a vacuum left that they will have to ensure is not filled. [continues 203 words]
