MAYOR WANTS DRUG ACTION

In Brief: A letter from the mother of a crystal meth addict wants all levels
of government to do more to fight the growing menace of the drug.

Regina Mayor Pat Fiacco wants senior levels of government to step up their
efforts to combat the growing menace of crystal meth.

Fiacco made the appeal at the monthly meeting of the Regina Board of Police
Commissioners and he came armed with plenty of ammunition, some of it
supplied by a letter from the mother of a crystal meth addict.

While the mother, who asked not to be identified, looked on, Fiacco read the
letter to board members. It described the family's nightmare and talked
about the drug's addictive nature, its easy availability in Regina and its
low cost -- all of which contribute to its growing use.

The letter called for all governments to work together to develop programs
to stop the spread of crystal meth as well as other serious drugs. Among
other things, it called for: legislation to make it illegal to sell the
ingredients required to make the drug; ongoing programs in schools to warn
young people of the dangers of drug abuse; tougher laws and penalties for
manufacturing and trafficking in crystal meth; and more and better
rehabilitation facilities.

After reading the letter, Fiacco then suggested a motion -- which the board
approved -- to send a letter to both the provincial and federal governments
outlining board's concerns and calling for action. But Fiacco also said he
wants the city to offer more support for addicts. He invited addicts and
parents or relatives of addicts to get in touch with his office to talk
about what needs to be, and should be, done.

Fiacco also suggested the forming a combined interagency group that would
include representatives from the city, province, federal government, health
district and police.

In February, the province announced its strategy to fight crystal meth, but
the program got a failing grade from experts who said its biggest fault was
that it failed to recognize the differences between crystal meth and other
drugs that make crystal meth so dangerous. At the time, Health Minister John
Nilson said "We're allocating the resources we need to deal with this
problem and if in fact it requires many more days of treatment time and
places, we'll get the money to do that."

We suggest the minister start looking for the money.