DRUG A CHEAP ALTERNATIVE TO COCAINE AND ALCOHOL

MOOSE JAW -- Crystal meth's popularity is growing, mostly by word of mouth,
and its intense high brings first-time users back for more.

"It's like any other drug. Why do kids use cocaine? It gives you that
feeling that is fantastic, and meth gives you more of that feeling. So it
goes from one kid to another kid," said RCMP Sgt. Terry Quinn, head of the
of the Regina Integrated Drug Unit.

"It is the worst of the drugs -- crystal meth or meth, whatever -- it ruins
a lot of people in a hurry."

Though more addictive and intense than cocaine, methamphetamine is a
stimulant and causes a similar reaction in the central nervous system.

"It makes you high, it makes you alert," said RCMP Cpl. Craig Toffoli, also
of the Regina Integrated Drug Unit.

Composed of ingredients that are easily obtainable at your local drug store
and hardware store, meth is becoming a cheap alternative to cocaine or even
alcohol.

"Unlike other drugs, like cocaine that comes from the coke leaves, in this
case, it's strictly a chemical drug," said Toffoli.

"If you're a drug user and you're inclined to be smoking crack anyway and
the high's going to last you five to 10 minutes, it's an easy jump to
methamphetamine where the high's going to last 24 hours maybe, and it's
roughly the same price."

A dose of meth, one tenth of a gram, will sell for approximately $10 in
Saskatoon. Toffoli said the danger to the first-time user is the lack of
immediate adverse physical effects, like the hang-over from alcohol.

RCMP officers in the province are also getting indications that coke is
being cut with meth to hook new users and that people are purchasing what
they believe is ecstasy, a less addictive drug, and actually receiving
methamphetamine.

The primary ingredient of methamphetamine is ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine,
both derived by dissolving cold tablets in water.

Pharmacist Jeff Taylor is an associate professor at the University of
Saskatchewan with a specialty in over-the-counter medication. Taylor
explained that ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine are vasoconstrictors, which
shrink blood vessels in the nasal tissue to relieve pressure and allow
easier breathing during a cold.

"Pseudo-ephedrine has pretty much gravitated to being the drug of choice if
you're going to use a decongestant," said Taylor, noting the drug is
consistent and easy to work with. He commented it's a shame that people have
used pharmacological knowledge to find illicit uses for the decongestant.

"To put a pall over all of these (products) is quite unfortunate."

With the rising popularity of meth, research in the pharmaceutical world has
already turned to creating new cold medications without ephedrine or
pseudo-ephedrine, and pharmacists are considering measures such as putting
cold medication behind the counter.

Once precursors for the drug are acquired, production of methamphetamine
typically occurs in clandestine labs, which produce their own alarming
consequences. The majority of clandestine meth labs that are found are
actually discovered by authorities after a fire.

Generally speaking, the ephedrine is extracted from the cold tablets and
creates a paste. The ephedrine is then extracted from the paste using a
solvent. The mixture of ingredients is then "cooked" over heat, creating a
chemical reaction that generates a number of toxic fumes and byproducts such
as deadly phosphene gas or anhydrous ammonia.

Toffoli explained that dangers remain in the lab even after the chemical
process is done.

"It's absorbed in the rugs, in the gyproc, in the ceiling. It's in the pipes
where they've poured the waste, if it's in the tub or wherever -- that place
is contaminated and people shouldn't be living there after the fact."

Beyond the site contamination, there's the issue of chemical waste being
dumped outdoors, just another example of the wide-spread ramifications of
meth.

"It's touching everywhere, everyone," said Toffoli. "It's not something that
affects people who have more money, or less money, it doesn't matter. It
doesn't matter at all."