GOOD FIRST STEP

Last week, as you have read in today's edition, a provincial task
force looking at how reverse the deadly tide of crystal meth has come
up with 83 recommendations. Among the recommendations is the
suggestion that 300 more rehab beds be made available to Albertans.
That's all well and good, but where are those beds going to end up.

Many people see the "drug" problem as an urban problem. While the
number of drug abusers might be higher in the cities, the percentage
of the rural population that is suffering is likely much higher. The
need for access to drug rehab is just as great here as it is in
Edmonton and Calgary.

That's why the people of influence here must work their hardest to
influence Members of the Legislature to direct some of the energy
spent on the war against drugs to rural Alberta.

Another of the recommendations in the task for calls on the federal
government to strengthen laws and impose harsher penalties on the
people who manufacture and distribute crystal meth. While
strengthening laws should be seen as a good thing, a great deal more
must be done to prevent people from using the stuff in the first place.

The most effective way to put anyone out of business is to take away
their client base. The most effective way to take away the client
base of drug dealers is through education of children. It must be an
education that begins early in life and one that never stops.

Telling a child to "just say no" to drugs is not enough. They must be
shown, in graphic detail what crystal meth and other illicit
substances can do to them - physically, emotionally, financially.

Yes, there are school programs that encourage children to avoid the
trappings of drugs and alcohol. Good, informative programs. However,
there must be an educational process for parents, too.

Parents need to reinforce what their children learn at school. If
they don't then the message is lost.

The people who are combatants in the war on drugs need to reinforce
with those in government the same way. If not, then the
recommendations from the Premier's Task Force on Crystal Meth will be
lost in some government archive and crystal meth, along with a host
of other drugs will keep marching on.