TASK FORCE CONSIDERS JANUARY SUMMIT ON CRYSTAL METH

The Perth County Task Force on Crystal Meth Is Looking at Holding a
Summit on Issues Associated With the Dangerous Illegal Drug in January.

The summit will focus on issues of addiction and treatment in the
health-care system, enforcement, and response from emergency
services. "Being able to share that information with our colleagues
and certainly in our corresponding communities would certainly allow
them the opportunity to learn from what we've experienced," Penny
Cardno, mental health program director for Huron-Perth Healthcare
Alliance, said at Thursday's task force meeting.

However, since Bruce County is so far the only community to express
interest in attending the summit, some task force members worried
that there would not be enough interest from other communities.

There was little concern, however, from Stratford Central Secondary
School principal Martin Ritsma, who said that once the summit is
advertised, it will likely get more attention from other communities.

"If you build it, they will come," he said.

The task force will be sending a letter to federal Justice Minister
Vic Toews asking for changes to the law governing illegal drugs in Canada.

Currently, anyone found in possession of so-called precursors to
crystal meth, which could include ingredients and equipment, cannot
be convicted. The task force wants the Controlled Drugs and
Substances Act changed so that people in possession of precursors to
methamphetamine with the obvious intent of manufacturing the drug can
be more easily prosecuted.

The type of illegal methamphetamine being discovered when users are
convicted in Perth County is changing, said representatives of two
police forces.

Sgt. Mike Bellai of the Stratford police drug enforcement unit said
most of the meth they are seeing lately is in the crystal form, and
not the powdered form, known as "pig-barn meth" most often made in
illegal labs locally.

Sgt. Bellai and Det.-Sgt. Rick Hawley of the OPP's drug enforcement
section said the difference could mean more meth is coming from
outside of the area.

Local police have discovered no new meth labs recently. Crystal-meth
related arrests, however, were made in Stratford in September.

Efforts to curb the spread of crystal meth locally will be
highlighted by a major national television current affairs program.

Camera crews from CTV's W-Five were at the Task Force's September
meeting to capture the discussion on videotape. That episode, which
will discuss crystal meth across Canada will be broadcast late this fall.