OTTAWA BOOSTS METH SENTENCES

Producers and traffickers of crystal meth will face stiffer penalties - as
high as life in prison - the federal government announced Thursday.

Methamphetamine will join drugs such as cocaine and heroin, covered under
Ottawa's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. That moves the maximum
penalty for production, trafficking, possession and importing or exporting
of meth from the current 10 years to life in prison.

The change is expected to put an end to the much lighter penalties
typically handed out to producers, traffickers and importers, and others
involved in the illegal drug's supply network.

"There are significant health, social and economic harms caused by
methamphetamine, not only for users, but for communities as well," health
minister Ujjal Dosanjh said Thursday.

Saying the move will help protect victims' rights, he said the law must
reflect the impact on victims and families.

The most serious cases will be dealt with by a team of designated special
prosecutors, Attorney-General Irwin Cotler said, adding they'll be armed
with special tools to convey to the court the damage meth causes.

The measures come in the wake of amendments proposed by Ottawa earlier this
year to place four substances used to make methamphetamine on a list of
controlled "precursor chemicals" - possession of which becomes an offence
drawing a fine of up to $5,000 and up to three years imprisonment.

Crystal meth is easily produced in small clandestine labs, often in
kitchens and bathrooms, by blending pseudo-ephedrine with a series of other
chemicals and ingredients. Sometimes known as "the poor man's cocaine", the
synthetic drug is cheap to make -a $150 investment can yield $10,000 worth
of meth.

But meth labs are notoriously dangerous, often causing hazardous chemical
fires.

Meth addicts are also among the most difficult to treat.