PERTH COUNTY METH SUMMIT PLANS MATERIALIZING

Task Force Wants to Bring Community 'Up to Speed' On the Insidious Drug

Plans for a one-day summit on the issues concerning crystal meth and
hosted by Perth County for neighboring counties are beginning to crystalize.

The summit is an effort by the Perth County Task Force on Crystal
Meth to share its knowledge and experience on meth, as well as spread
the word on what they've tried to do and tried to learn.

The format could feature a number of "breakout sessions," on topics
including health promotion and community awareness, treatment,
enforcement and first responders in the community, possibly featuring
a panel of police, fire and ambulance personnel.

"It would, perhaps, have an educational set up to talk about the work
to be done," Penny Cardno of the Huron-Perth Healthcare Alliance told
those in attendance at the Perth County Task Force's monthly meeting
in Stratford last Thursday. "We want to bring the community up to
speed on the issue."

Logistics for the summit including cost, length and location have yet
to be determined. Cardno says the summit, which the task force will
look to hold in Straford in January, would help everyone concerned
about the issues regarding meth to address the question, "Where do we
go from here?"

Task force member and Perth East Mayor Bob McTavish expressed concern
about creating the summit before getting more feedback from counties
interested in attending. However, other task force members gave the
summit a green light.

"It could be the case of if you build it they will come," said Martin
Ritsma, principal of Stratford Central Secondary School.

Ed Hollinger, Mayor of North Perth, agreed. "People are looking at
this task force as to how they can start their own," he commented
during the meeting.

Materials and information shared at the summit could also be used for
different meetings and sessions, task force members believed.

Pam Beatson, a private psychotherapist, said there is the possibility
of the task force participating in the 48th annual Institute on
Addiction Studies Conference in Barrie on July 8-12, 2007. "There's
such a hunger out there for more knowledge about this," she said.

She noted that of all the workshops at last year's conference, the
one on meth was filled long before the conference began.

The sharing of ideas and knowledge is an important part of the task
force's role in the community as local police continue to deal with
meth-related offences.

Mike Bellai of the Stratford Police drug enforcement unit said they
have made five arrests recently specifically in regards to meth. He
said they are not seeing new labs but there is evidence of more
"crystal" meth in the area, which differs from what he referred to as
the "pig barn" powder form made in rural areas.

Both he and Rick Hawley, a detective sergeant with the OPP
clandestine unit response team for province, says trafficking has
become a greater issue locally.

Hawley said organized crime groups are getting involved in making
crystal meth, which explains the more refined and "prettier" look of
the drug they are currently seeing.

"Addiction based labs don't care what it looks like," says Hawley.

The Perth County Task Force on Crystal Meth will next meet on Thursday, Nov. 16.