DARE TO REMEMBER - FEAR AND LOATHING, PEACE AND ONENESS

Little did he know it at the time or, for that matter likely care. But when
acid corroded a man's face early in 2000 it would single out what was to
come - a string of peculiar events in the illicit world of drug use in
Saanich and even more importantly our second most interesting story of the
year.

Police determined that the acid that had melted the man's face was a key
ingredient in the manufacture of a drug known on the street as "Crystal
Meth" - a substance that experts and non-experts alike guess hasn't been
made in these here parts in over two decades.

The discovery of a basement laboratory triggered a year of research for the
News' intrepid reporter Ingrid Paulsen into the designer drug culture.

But the discoveries didn't stop at chemical adulterants. An extensive grow
operation of unprecedented magnitude was uncovered in Saanich on Feb. 9.
Several thousand Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms) of a Mexican variety were
found by police in a rental residence on Wilkinson Road.

Pot, that ubiquitous homegrown favourite-- stirred things up as well this
year, but not in the way most may think.

The illicit drugs that surfaced this year were diverse in effect and the
experts interviewed by the News were many.

But there is at least one thing that everyone agreed on - education is
essential for kids and adults alike. That factor alone helped push drugs
(no pun intended) high up on the list of most interesting stories.

Staff Sgt. Doug Oakley told the News that if 2000 confirmed anything it is
that there is a growing problem with methamphetmines, Ecstasy, GHB
(commonly known as the Date Rape drug) and other synthetics. He noted that
the drugs are easier to make nowadays which makes them much more available.
But he feels confident that both on the Island and Lower Mainland key
figures who are responsible for the supply have been caught.

Oakley said that there is cause for people in the community to be alarmed
about drug availability and use in the community, not only because of their
inherent dangers, but also the growing tolerance by society particularly
for marijuana use and Ecstasy.

"Kids at school tell us marijuana is safer than cigarette smoking or
alcohol. They are not considering the cancer causing carcinogens that are
400 times stronger than in a normal cigarette," said Oakley.

He blames misrepresentative media coverage for giving people a false sense
of security.

As one example Oakley sites the coverage in the News of the arrest of
medical marijuana activist Ted Smith. "Smith is a supporter of the medical
use of marijuana, but he was passing joints to students who were not using
the drug for the intent he supports. We considered (the arrest) a minor
incident and responded to the complaint. And (Saanich News) put it on the
front page."

Smith said at the time of the arrest that he was looking forward to the
trial and a chance to challenge the "ridiculous" law. Because Saanich
police confiscated a suitcase, which contained three copies of his
Hempology 101 Textbook, Smith insisted he will read the entire 200-page
textbook -which outlines dozens of arguments formarijuana legalization - to
the court. Oakley is concerned not only about media and political coverage
desensitizing the public to the dangers of marijuana, but also the messages
being sent regarding illicit stimulants.

He argues that a rave hosted by the city of Victoria in the summer sent the
wrong message to the teenage population about the acceptability of drug use
in society.

Here's a run down of the illegal drugs that were seized by authorities in
Saanich.

--Crystal Methamphetamine:

"Last year over 2,000 labs were uncovered in California," said Steve
McNamara, an authority on the drug. "The difference between Canada and the
States is that in the States the precursors or the ingredients to make the
drugs are regulated so it is illegal to have them in your possession. In
Canada, a person could have ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine used to make
Crystal Meth," noted McNamara. Amphetamines are grouped as stimulants for
the Central Nervous System (CNS), which includes the brain and spinal cord.

"Crystal Meth", also known as "ice," "Hawaiian Salt," and "rock candy", was
derived from the original amphetamine that was introduced in the 1930s to
combat nasal congestion. Amphetamines were later prescribed for a number of
disorders such as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD), to control obesity and depression. Upon prescribing amphetamines
for the latter conditions, doctors learned they were only useful for a
short period and had a significant side effect - physical and psychological
dependence. "With methamphetamine you can smoke it, snort it or inject it.
True 'Crystal Meth' can only be smoked. It is the most hyper-charged
biggest rush and the biggest depression," said McNamara. Crystal
Methamphetamine resembles shaved glass slivers or clear rock salt.

But users, who anticipate the profound depression that inevitably follows
the rush, get trapped in the viscous circle that leads to "ice" addiction.

In essence methamphetamines are a man-made psycostimulant similar to
cocaine in its effects. But the chemical product has a high that lasts
about eight to 24 hours compared to the 20 to 30 minute high of cocaine. Of
course, that means the drug is in the system longer. It takes
methamphetamine 12 hours to be 50 per cent removed from the body, for
cocaine it takes one hour.

--Psilocybin (Magic Mushrooms):

Police uncovered a manufacturing operation on Wilkinson Road where the
mushroom spores were grown and then packaged. Mushrooms were found in
various stages of development including 30 pounds of dried and packaged
mushrooms that were seized, having a bulk value of $30,000.

The possibility of police uncovering additional mushroom grow operations is
less likely than for other drugs due to the lack of indicators that can tip
off police. "These are difficult to come across because there is no tell
tale signs. There is no huge Hydro consumption and no smell," said the
spokesperson for the Organized Crime Agency (OCA) of British Columbia.

"The typical dose for this mushroom is one gram. There are hallucinogenic
effects similar to LSD which last six to eight hours. There is also some
nausea and discomfort, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and
distortion of time," said Richard Laing, analytical specialist for the
police and an expert in the manufacture of Psilocybin mushrooms.

--Ecstasy:

Ecstasy, which is known in medical circles as Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
(MDMA), originally was patented in 1913 by a German pharmaceutical company.

On a six-member panel in a forum held in Saanich to get information out to
students and adults on Ecstasy were two addicts of the drug. Panel members
agreed on a few points: It is difficult to predict who will become addicted
to the drug; it is almost impossible to know what is contained in an
Ecstasy pill unless extensive tests are done before it is taken; and,
Ecstasy use is widespread and not limited to the Rave culture.

"Ecstasy stimulates the release of a neurotransmitter in the brain called
serotonin, which has been associated with the regulation of mood," notes
the organization for harm reduction, DanceSafe. One of its psychological
effects is empathogenisis - a feeling of emotional closeness to others and
to oneself coupled with a lifting of communication barriers. Another
effect, entactogenisis, is characterized by a generalized feeling that
everything is all right and good with the world.

The DanceSafe literature also warns of a "post E depression" after the
serotonin is released in the brain and is broken down by the body, which
results in unnaturally deflated levels of serotonin. Studies suggest it
takes between one and two weeks for serotonin levels to return to normal
levels.

--Searching for solace

It is unfortunate that the story we've chosen to top our list revolves
around the brutal death of a teenaged girl three years after the horrific
discovery of her body in the Gorge Waterway.

But there are two factors that will ensure that this case will continue to
make headlines. Kelly Ellard, who was convicted of killing Reena, is
appealing the verdict; and, the Virk family has launched civil action
against the province, Greater Victoria School District, a Crown prosecutor
as well as Ellard, Warren Glowatski, the girls convicted of assaulting
Reena and their parents or guardians.

The Ellard trial and conviction:

Ellard, now 17, was given the minimum sentence after a 12-person jury found
her guilty - a life sentence with the possibility of parole in just five
years. Her partner in the crime, 18-year-old Warren Paul Glowatski who was
also charged with the second-degree murder of Reena was handed the maximum
sentence - a life sentence with no possibility of parole for seven years.

Following Ellard's conviction, Saanich police who headed up the murder
investigation said the age of the witnesses, the location of the crime on
the border of three policing jurisdictions and the sheer volume of evidence
made it one of the most challenging in the department's history.

But they were on pins and needles until the decision was official because
the jury in the Ellard trial were permitted access only to portions of the
considerable amount of evidence police managed to amass.

Glowatski refused to testify against Ellard even though he fingered her as
a co-assailant in his own second-degree murder trial.

The jury also was not permitted to view a videotape of Ellard's statements
to police when she was questioned shortly after Reena was found dead. The
damaging footage shows Ellard, then 15, flip flopping her story several
times and by many accounts left her looking like a cold-hearted killer.

"We had to obtain the information as untainted as possible as quickly as we
could. That went a long way to the success of the file because of the
credibility it created in what the kids had to say. The truth came out
fairly quickly," said Staff Sergeant Doug Oakley after the guilty verdict
of Ellard. "Because young people don't have the same level of maturity and
responsibility to society that comes with maturity. So you are dealing with
people that their peers are more important than a lot of aspects of their
lives that we would consider valuable ... It creates a significant problem
for us because their allegiances are to each other as opposed to society.
That's a problem," noted Oakley.

The allegiance shown by the assailants during the trial is one thing that
Reena's mother was expecting. "It didn't surprise me because this crime
would not have happened if their allegiance to each other was not present.
I think they had no choice but to stick together once it all came out."

When sentencing Ellard, Justice Nancy Morrison spoke of the support Kelly
Ellard had from her family, of her love for animals and the 29 letters
written in defense of Ellard's character. But some of those who observed
the trial from beginning to end argued that Morrison ought to have
demonstrated a similar empathy for the victim.

"It is interesting to see that the judge could humanize Ellard that way but
didn't do that for Reena Virk. She wasn't presented in the same way, as a
young woman who had a life, " said Yasmin Jiwani from the FREDA Centre for
research on violence against women and children. Jiwani, who monitored the
Ellard trial, added that as a researcher it was interesting to note the
affinity between the judge and Ellard.

"What would be interesting is to see what would have happened if the tables
were turned and it was Reena Virk that had killed Kelly Ellard? Would it be
five years and then eligible for parole? Would the judge have been able to
relate to Reena in the same way she related to Kelly Ellard?" Jiwani asked.

For Reena's mother, Suman Virk, Ellard's sentence was a final blow in an
extremely emotionally exhausting year. "I don't think it is a strong enough
deterrent for the kids out there looking at the trial. Kids don't
understand that Kelly was younger than Warren. Warren got seven years and
Kelly got five. But it was Kelly that drowned Reena," Suman said after the
sentence was read.

--Civil action

The Virks intend to push the issue further in civil court. "Yes, we are
prolonging our own emotional stress but we feel it is necessary," Suman
told the News. "We want to do this and feel it is worth whatever we go
through to make these people accountable and have the young people
understand that there are other ramifications for their actions rather than
just fear of a criminal sentence."

The Ministry of Children and Families removed Reena from the Virk family
home in April 1997 after she accused her father of sexually assaulting her.
The charges against Manjit Virk were dropped after Reena recanted.

By physically removing their daughter, the Virks maintain it was impossible
for them to aid her. "(The ministry) did not act in the best interest of
Reena. There was not a proper investigation into the allegations she made,
which were totally bogus," argued Suman.

The Virks were not aware that Reena was being bullied at school and Suman
charges that her daughter was not properly protected by school staff and
others involved in her life. "In the case of Kelly, different teachers and
councillors at school knew she had violent tendencies, but nobody did
anything to help her. In the case of Reena, she was being bullied but
nobody let us know. The authorities should have let us know," says Suman,
who insists that Reena's foster parents and the Ministry of Children and
Families should have known about the bullying.

Suman says the case is proceeding. "Our lawyer is hearing from other
lawyers and negotiations are starting, but things are slow," she said.

The first thing Reena's mother would like people to remember from the
horrific ordeal she has gone through is "how unnecessary this crime was. I
don't know really if anything can be learned except that people can come to
terms with the fact that youth violence is out there. Racial prejudice is
out there. Intolerance of people and their differences is something that
needs to be acknowledged and stamped out."

Through it all, there is one face many in the region have not forgotten.
Reena's smile has graced the front page of newspapers across the country
for the past three years. The photograph was captured at a time when a kind
smile was possible, before an ostracized teenager accepted an invitation to
a "party " by one of her peers and never returned home. Although her image
remains etched in memories there has been little revealed about the gentle
character of the one who was destroyed. When asked, what would you most
like people to remember about your daughter? Suman Virk replied, "Her
loving and generous spirit."