DRUGS NO SMALL PROBLEM FOR SAUGEEN SHORES

In a small community, the problem of drug abuse often appears
minimal. Compared with cities where narcotics are easily seen, and
where police units are dedicated solely to fighting the issue,
Saugeen Shores residents might believe drugs are rare in our community.

Just before Christmas however, more than $16,000 in drugs were seized
and two Saugeen Shores men arrested after a joint investigation
between the OPP and Saugeen Shores police.

Those two men now each face three drug-related charges, and one man
an additional breach of recognizance charge.

It goes to show that illegal drugs are no small problem in our
community: local police face the challenge of fighting illegal drug
use on a regular basis.

"Per capita, we probably have the same situation (as larger cities)"
in terms of usage, said police chief Dan Rivett adding, "We don't
have the spinoff of drug-related crime that you see in major centres."

Saugeen Shores police officers "see a broad scope" of drugs on the
street, from marijuana and mushrooms to cocaine and ecstasy.

"We truly could have a full-time drug officer," Rivett said.

Having someone dedicated to drug investigations on a permanent basis
is an issue Rivett said he plans to address in the future.

Drug investigations take time and dedication and an officer who is
doing surveillance cannot afford the time to attend other calls, he added.

But even without that resource, police regularly "set up projects"
and drug investigations, such as the one which lead to last week's arrests.

"If we don't do some enforcement, it will get worse, and we will see
results," Rivett said.

One problem police face is the increasing tolerance for gateway drugs
(drugs that often lead users to try stronger substances down the
road), he added.

"Right now and over the last couple years, the government has given a
mixed message about the use of drugs," Rivett said.

He pointed to the Canadian government's fairly recent move toward
decriminalizing the use of marijuana.

"Marijuana is readily available in any community I've ever been in,"
Rivett said.

New drugs are always cropping up too, as individuals search for
different ways to get high, he said. He added the Controlled Drug and
Substance Act is continually updated to include the new substances on
the street.

One substance that is cheap and relatively easy to find in Saugeen
Shores is the herb known as salvia.

The effects of the herb can be frightening: hallucinations and even
loss of consciousness. Rivett said often users are scared off after
their first encounter with the drug; however "it's been out there a long time".

Since salvia is uncontrolled, it is legal to buy or sell. But Rivett
said its narcotic effects are comparable to those of LSD.

"It's wicked."

Because the substance is unregulated, police can only lay charges
similar to those associated with alcohol. Namely, impaired driving if
someone is caught driving under the influence of salvia.

Ann Rocha, manager of Adrenalin Ink in Port Elgin, said her store
used to order salvia on request from customers, but they have chosen
to discontinue sales of the herb.

Typically, Adrenalin had received only a couple of orders for salvia
in a year, Rocha said. Those requests have since gone down.

She said the store has always required that customers who purchase
the herb be 19 years old or older.

Adrenalin also carries pipes, papers, and other products "for tobacco
and natural herbal practices", although, Rocha said she is aware that
some customers may use those items for illegal drug use.

"I'm not going to close my eyes to that... People are going to use
whether we like it or not," Rocha said.