METH REGISTRIES A GOOD IDEA

The provinces should carry the battle against crystal meth one step
further by emulating several American states that have created meth registries.

Tennessee established the first meth registry in 2005 and now
Illinois, Minnesota and Montana are setting them up. Registries have
been proposed in Georgia, Maine, Oklahoma, Washington, Oregon and
West Virginia.

Created along the lines of sex offender registries, the meth
registries list the names of people convicted for meth trafficking,
dealing and production. Landlords can check the registries to see if
a prospective tenant is listed before agreeing to rent to that individual.

Health Canada says meth houses are dangerous places if they are not
properly ventilated or if the explosive anhydrous ammonia used in
meth production is kept in decaying containers.

An explosion releases vapours that can be fatal when inhaled.

Phosphine gas, a byproduct of meth manufacturing, can ignite upon
contact with the air in the room.

Health Canada also cites U.S. studies showing the impurities created
by meth production contaminate the entire building, "so if cooking
meth doesn't destroy the house with an explosion, it may poison the
place instead."

Waste products from the manufacture get dumped on the ground outside,
poisoning plants and pets, and leaching into water.

Given the incredible amount of property damage that can occur,
landlords have every right to know if a tenant has been involved with meth.

When a prospective buyer looks at a house that was condemned after
being used for a grow-op, he or she has to follow stringent
guidelines for its repair before the Calgary Health Region will lift
the "condemned" status. A meth registry is more like an ounce of
prevention -- alerting landlords to danger that is easily averted by
refusing to rent to anyone convicted of a meth offence.

It's an idea well worth adopting in Alberta.