RESEARCH IN THE VALLEY SHIFTS TO CRYSTAL METH

Chilliwack is getting ready to tackle crystal meth with a little hard science.

The city is teaming up with University College of the Fraser Valley
researchers to determine what tools in the fight against meth have
been most successful.

"The extent of the (meth lab) problem in B.C. is probably much more
significant than it has ever been," UCFV RCMP research chair Darryl
Plecas said.

"There's even some concern about the likelihood that we'll see more of them."

Plecas captured headlines across Canada in 2002 as lead researcher
for a study showing grow-ops were popping up more in B.C.'s rural areas.

The extent of marijuana grow-ops, as well as enforcement and
prevention models have become well-known, he argued, but the same
cannot be said of meth labs, which are often much harder to detect.

Canada's more sophisticated "super lab" contrasts sharply with the
smaller, user-based "cook operations" more typical in the U.S.

As municipalities tighten laws to prevent grow-ops from being set up,
some criminals may switch to meth production.

"All one needs to do is take a stroll to the Downtown Eastside to
understand why no penalty is serious enough for these people. Those
engaged in the production of meth in super labs, if it were me, I
would be giving them life imprisonment for causing so much hurt and
so much harm, to so many people for so long."

He estimates victims are into the "tens of thousands."

"What's really frightening about meth labs - aside from the hazards
and risk of explosion, fire and toxic chemicals - is the nature of
the individuals who tend to be involved."

He pointed to calls for tougher penalties and sentences emerging lately.

"So if you said, 'How many known meth labs could we see in a year?'
you could figure a d

ozen, which may not seem that many. But you don't need that many meth
labs before you cause havoc.

"It's conceivable that a single lab could supply the so-called market
demand for the entire province."

Consulting partners on the research will include RCMP, Chilliwack
School District, and Fraser Health Authority.