LOCAL CRYSTAL METH USE SAID ON UPSWING

Fears that the street drug known as crystal meth could be the next big
thing on the Regina drug scene appear to be coming true.

Whereas a year ago there were virtually no crystal meth cases being
prosecuted in Regina courtrooms, it's becoming increasingly more common,
according to Leader-Post research, prosecutors and police.

A number of Regina residents have appeared in court this month charged with
simple possession or possession for the purpose of trafficking of crystal meth.

One Regina lawyer who prosecutes some of the federal Justice Department's
Regina drug cases said there's been a dramatic increase in crystal meth
cases since last year.

"A year ago, we didn't have any ... but we've got 15 cases on the go right
now," said Hal Wellsch. "It would appear to be on the upswing."

It's expected at least one major Regina crystal meth case will be going to
trial by the spring of 2005, Wellsch said.

The rise of court cases involving crystal meth is a reflection of what's
happening at the street level, police spokesperson Elizabeth Popowich said.

In 2003, it would have been rare for Regina police to lay crystal meth
charges, but those days appear to be over.

"We're seeing an increase," she said. "It's highly addictive. I think that
yes, we will see the problem grow."

Crystal meth is one of the street names for methamphetamine, a powerful
stimulant that can be manufactured from readily obtainable materials. Other
names for methamphetamine include speed, crank or meth.

According to Popowich, drug investigators say cocaine still represents the
biggest hard drug problem in Regina, but crystal meth is emerging as both a
serious policing issue and a public health hazard.

The drug appears as white crystals and is sold in baggies or glass vials.
Users heat the crystals in a pipe and inhale the fumes.

Wellsch noted that users typically get 10 hits out of a gram. A half-ounce
could thus provide about 150 hits, enough to provide for a "binge" user for
two to four weeks.

Across North America, the drug is often manufactured in small labs,
sometimes using over-the-counter cough medicines combined with a variety of
other chemicals -- everything from battery acid to drain cleaner.

So far, police haven't uncovered any meth-manufacturing facilities in
Regina, but they're preparing for it with special training and "haz-mat"
equipment, Popowich said.

Because hazardous, and sometimes explosive, materials are used in the
manufacture of the drug, investigators must take special precautions during
raids on such facilities, she said.

Police are also concerned about a possible increase in collateral crime,
such as break and enters, perpetrated by those trying to raise money to buy
the drug, she said. One additional concern is that crystal meth use has
been linked to aggressive and violent behaviour.

Although crystal meth use in Regina has been on the rise, police believe
it's not as widely available here yet as it is in other centres, such as
Saskatoon.

Will that change?

Regina police hope to be part of a multi-faceted approach to fighting the
crystal meth problem before that happens, Popowich said.