NEW DRUGS THREATEN FORT YOUTH

A new generation of drugs are in town, local RCMP warned a special meeting
of about 40 parents last week.

The "designer" drugs are cheaper and nastier than those of the past, and
parents must be on the lookout to protect their children, said Cst. Lea Turner.

One of the worse of the new drugs is crystal meth, also known as ice, and
only recently arrived in Fort Saskatchewan. This drug, which costs about
$10 per dose, causes an instant high, followed by a bad low. It causes
nervous disorder and often violent behavior.

Parents should watch for mood changes, slipping grades and odd new friends,
Turner said.

Bring any suspicious object or substance to the RCMP and they will help,
added Auxiliary Cst. Lawrence Derry.

Derry, a trained social worker, praised the D.A.R.E. program and encouraged
parents to keep learning and working for their children. "It's not the big
things you do, it's a series of small things that the community does that
makes the difference."