PROVINCE ARMING CITY IN WAR ON METH

The Manitoba Government Is Arming Flin Flon In The War On Crystal Meth.

Up to two local first responders will soon be offered online training
to help them detect the presence of clandestine meth labs.

The course will also educate the participating police officers,
firefighters or paramedics on the symptoms of meth abuse and how to
proceed if called to an illegal lab.

As part of its overall meth strategy, the province will ask rural
municipalities to identify one or two front-line workers for the
training and to coordinate information sharing within their communities.

Flin Flon RCMP say the deadly drug is available in the community,
though it does not appear to be a widespread problem. Police also had
information that a clandestine lab operated locally.

In addressing the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce last
year, Cst. Jeeve Brar said the situation could get much worse without
a proactive approach.

"A really harsh fact of the matter, it is a problem and it's going to
be a huge problem," said Cst. Brar. "It's how bad do we really want
it to become? That is a harsh fact."

What authorities consider most frightening about meth is that it is
easily concealed and can be produced with relatively little expertise
using over-the-counter ingredients.

A crystal derivative of methamphetamine, meth is generally smoked but
can also be snorted, taken orally, or heated and injected.

Experts say the street drug is one of the most addictive around, with
many ranking it higher than cocaine.

According to Ruth Layne, a B.C.-based authority, meth is sneaking up
on unsuspecting communities across the nation.

"Crystal meth use has gone up 40 per cent around the world in the
last six years," she told The Canadian Press last year. "It's
spreading so fast that many communities in Canada don't even know
it's a problem on their streets."

The upcoming web-based training will be offered by the Canadian
Police Knowledge Network, a not-for-profit corporation that provides
e-learning for police.

"A comprehensive training initiative is a key component of Manitoba's
strategy to tackle crystal meth," Healthy Living Minister Kerri
Irvin-Ross said in a press release.