STILL A CLEAR CONCERN

As the number of stories of dramatic crystal meth lab explosions and
police busts have fallen off the front page, it's easy to think that
if it's not news, it may not be a problem for our area any more.

But after attending the Perth County Crystal Meth Summit last Friday,
that sense of ignorance has fallen by the wayside. Sitting in on a
presentation from Stratford police officer Mike Bellai on the city's
struggle with the drug was a shocker. Scenes you'd only expect to see
in the grittiest of crime movies have happened in Stratford: toxic
waste dumped in a city park, only to be discovered by children
playing nearby; an addict who endlessly drives around the city on a
bicycle for days while high; a family sedan with a full lab set up in
the trunk.

The number of stories of lab busts are on the decline for Perth
County only because crystal meth -- a horrifying mix of solvents,
fertilizer, and other chemicals that should be no where near the
human body under the best of conditions -- is now being imported by
organized crime groups in more potent forms. And there are plenty of
takers for this even-more dangerous version; as Sgt. Bellai put it at
the conference, from the prom queen to the upstanding business man,
to the "walking skeleton" that's literally rotting away in front of
you, haunting the streets.

Mayor Jamie Hahn and councillors Bill Osborne and Bill Mustard
attended the conference, and the first word they used to describe the
drug was "scary." Osborne, who attended a session on treatment, heard
that there is only a six per cent recovery rate, and even if someone
does break free from the drug, they do not lead a normal life --
their brain's pleasure receptors are completely fried, leading to a
monotone existence.

Federal crown prosecutor John Sipos requests jail time for all those
convicted of crystal meth possession, and says it's amazing to see
the detoxifying effects that the regular meals and relaxation that a
stint in prison has to offer. He's appalled, however, at how quickly
many go back to using after their release -- proving, in his mind,
just how addicting and incomprehensible the drug is.

But despite the public perception that crystal meth is the drug of
choice for Perth County according to a Health Unit survey, marijuana
and alcohol abuse are far more rampant -- especially among youth. In
fact, being drunk often leads to a willingness to try anything due to
a loss of inhibition.

Youth focus groups suggest that preemptive measures, such as
providing coping mechanisms and support are more effective than a
simple "just say no" when it comes to keeping youth away from all
drugs, not just meth.

It's part of a larger effort, which includes tougher prison
penalties, improved meth ingredient regulation and strong community
services. But wouldn't it be nice to keep crystal meth out of the
news by preventing people from wanting to use it in the first place?