COUNSELLOR SAYS DRUG USERS DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE GETTING...

Dorit Perlin, Robson Valley child and youth mental health counsellor,
says there's something very sinister about the way drug peddlers get
young people addicted to crystal meth. She says the highly addictive
drug is often hidden in party drugs like ecstasy, and before the user
knows it he or she is hooked. "A person becomes addicted to this
pill, whatever it is they think they are taking, at the same rate as
they would for crystal meth," she said, "but they don't know it."

As for the addictive properties of crystal meth, Perlin says it's
like no other drug. "There's no comparison. There's nothing else out
there like it. Taking it once and that's pretty much it," she said.

As well as being highly addictive, crystal meth is exceptionally
harmful. Even when it's mixed with ecstasy the user will suffer all
its adverse effects. "That includes the actual physical and
psychological effects such as potential psychosis and deterioration
of tissue," said Perlin.

Much like the addictive property of tobacco has been used to get and
keep young people buying ciqarettes, the addictive property of
crystal meth is used to keep young people spending money on drugs.
"But in a far more twisted way," said Perlin.