NEW LAW AIMED TO PROTECT CHILDREN EXPOSED TO DRUGS

A new law that went into effect earlier this month gives child
intervention caseworkers and police the authority to remove children
exposed to serious drug activity from their homes.

A new law that went into effect earlier this month gives child
intervention caseworkers and police the authority to remove children
exposed to serious drug activity from their homes. According to the
Drug-endangered Children Act, children who are found in these
situations are defined as being victims of abuse and need protection.

Furthermore, the law is a response to previous research by the
government that revealed children found in these homes are at high
risk for: chronic respiratory disorders, neurological damage, cancer
and physical, emotional and sexual abuse.

The legislation, announced in early March, officially came into
effect Nov. 1, and is hoped to increase the number of people who
report this type of child abuse.

The law, a first of its kind in Canada, is a welcomed ruling for the
Leduc Drug Action Committee.

"It's long overdue," said Ward Antoniuk, co-chair of the Leduc Drug
Action Committee. "Children that are in a situation where drugs are
being manufactured are in a situation where their safety is at risk.

"It's very apparent (these children) need to be apprehended from that
residence and be put into a safe place."

The legislation deals with specific drug activity, such as
trafficking and manufacturing -- particularly crystal methamphetamine
(meth) labs and indoor marijuana grow operations.

"Meth labs are highly volatile and drug trafficking brings in the
criminal aspect. Once a criminal aspect is involved, then the
children of those families are at risk. If some sort of drug deal
goes wrong or a drug dealer is targeted by an organized criminal
gang, they might go after the children," he explained.

But for Antoniuk, while taking the children away is a step in the
right direction, he believes that while these children are in
custody, parents should be given the opportunity to clean up their
act and get their children back.

"It's an obvious no brainer that we need to secure the child, but we
need to work with the parents also," he explained, adding parents
should be required to take some sort of counselling program.

"These kids are being abused and they need our protection," said
Heather Forsyth, minister of children's services in a written
statement. "The issue of children being exposed to the dangers of
drug manufacturing and trafficking is becoming more and more common.
The Drug-endangered Act will ensure we are able to respond to these
situations and keep more children safe."