DRUG FORUM COMING TO ALICE

PORT ALICE - Ecstasy and crystal meth will be the focus of a public
forum Port Alice RCMP are holding Mar. 7 at the community centre.

Const. Gus Papagiannis, a well-known guest speaker on the subject,
has been invited by Constable Michelle Hallam and Cpl. Kevin Murray

"There's a drug problem in Port Alice, as everywhere else," said
Hallam. "There are Port Alice residents suffering from addictions.

Everybody's addictions are different, says Hallam. For some, alcohol
could be the worst drug, for others it's smoking."

Hallam encouraged parents to contact her with any concerns they may
have. "Packages found in your kid's room, that you think contained
candy, could be remnants from drugs," she said.

Hallam says drugs are even found in water balloons which have been
swallowed by drug dealers in order to transport up Island without being caught.

"If you found this in your kid's room, and you're not sure what it
is, bring it to me so I can test it," said Hallam. "Eighty-five
percent of ecstasy contains meth, which you can become addicted to
after using it once. Kids think they're doing ecstasy, but they're doing meth.

Another concern Hallam brought up was internet safety. "Port Alice
kids are posting themselves on sites doing drugs and other criminal
acts," says Hallam. "There are men looking at that and saying "OOH!"
to Port Alice.

"We need to come together as a community," Hallam concluded. "We need
to support our children to make the right decisions."