METH SQUABBLE HITS AIRWAVES

The local discussion on crystal meth made it onto the airwaves Friday morning.

Mary Robson, the chair of the local Meth Task Force, and school board
chair Cheryl Ashlie squared off on the Bill Good Show on CKNW on Friday.

Robson, with whom Good opened the segment, argued that the $3 million
from the province is a "wonderful thing." The money is for a crystal
meth public awareness campaign.

Crystal meth, not alcohol, can do "the most harm" with just the
smallest amount of use, said Robson.

But Ashlie argued that, although crystal meth is a terrible drug,
alcohol is the No. 1 addictive substance students are using.

However, after a few minutes into the discussion, Robson questioned
Ashlie's credibility.

"I just question where she's getting her information from," she said.

Ashlie, once the program came back from a commercial break, said her
information comes from the professionals with whom she has talked
about crystal meth.

After all, a little information in a politician's hands can be a
dangerous thing, she said. The stats she then told the listeners
pointed to alcohol being the number one drug. For example, she said
most drug-related trips to the Ridge Meadows Hospital emergency room
this summer involved alcohol. Methamphetamine was No. 6, she said.

Ron Lawrance, executive director of Alouette Addictions, phoned in
and said that the focus should not just be on crystal meth use.

Ashlie has repeatedly said that crystal meth should be talked about
when discussing other drugs such as alcohol, tobacco and marijuana.

But Deb Appleby, former chair of the District Parent Advisory
Council, supported the province's effort. She also said that parents
want provincial funds to raise awareness of crystal meth, and
trustees should want that, too.

"We need to go after everything like this we can have," said Appleby.