NO EVIDENCE OF FLAVOURED DRUGS IN LOCAL SCHOOLS, YET -- POLICE

Police say it's not an issue in Nova Scotia schools, yet -- but that's
not to say it isn't coming down the line. E-mails have been
circulating locally warning that a new drug known as "strawberry
quick" is going around schools. The drug is apparently a type of
crystal meth that looks like strawberry pop rocks, the candy that
sizzles or pops in your mouth.

The fear is that the drug, that can apparently be manufactured to
smell or taste like strawberries or other flavours, is being handed
out to kids in school yards and children are ingesting it, thinking
it's candy, leading to dire health consequences.

The drugs apparently come in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry,
grape and orange as well and are sometimes packaged in small bags with
pictures of strawberries, grapes or other images on them.

RCMP spokesperson Const. Les Kakonyi said, to his knowledge, there
have been no reports of this drug surfacing at local schools. In our
area, it could be considered a sort of urban legend.

Kakonyi checked with other sources and the drug is not an issue in
Nova Scotia yet, but that's not to say it's not coming down the line.

Kakonyi noted it's only a matter of time before crystal meth makes a
devastating impact on our communities. If you try it once, you're
hooked, and police, especially school liaison officers, are working
hard to get that message out.

He said local school liaison officers say marijuana is still very
prevalent, but it seems the number-one drug of choice for local youths
is still alcohol. One reason is that it is so readily available.

"We're not immune to all the drugs that are out there now in our
schools," he said.

Like some adults, there are youths in our communities addicted to
various drugs and this often precipitates property crime. Addicts will
steal property, especially electronics that can be turned over quickly
for money to buy drugs.

"They have to ensure they have that constant fix," Kakonyi said,
pointing out that police are seeing an increase in the number of
instances of property crime related to drug addiction. Often police
will hear in court that addiction issues precipitate cases of property
crime.

Kentville Police Chief Mark Mander said there are rumors coming out of
the United States of these flavoued drugs surfacing at schools.
Information sometimes gets passed along through e-mail and the
Internet and people believe it's happening here.

Mander said he has seen the messages warning people about the presence
of the drugs in schools.

"It's not something we've ever come across at our schools," he said.
"There's no evidence in the province of Nova Scotia of this."

The chief said that drugs are often packaged in small bags with
pictures, such as fruit or marijuana leaves, on them.

"There's even marketing with drug dealers," he said.