STREET KIDS SHOWING SIGNS OF METH USE

Street kids are showing the effects of meth use and a frontline
worker wants to see a city task force set up to tackle the problem.

Tom Sidney, former manager of prevention and public education at
Operation Go Home, first heard rumblings of the illicit stimulant
drug back in March among the street youth.

Workers are increasingly seeing the effects of crystal meth in the
street youth population.

RAPID WEIGHT LOSS

"We're starting to see the breakouts on their face, we're starting to
see the rapid weight loss, the gaunt look and different types of
behaviour," Sidney said.

Since then, staff has been busy learning as much as they can about
meth and working hard to educate youth on the highly addictive drug.

While youth aren't necessarily choosing to buy the drug, other drugs
such as crack and even marijuana are being laced with meth.

"To be honest, I don't think most of them even realize they're doing
it," Sidney said.

Mike Beauchesne, who runs the addictions programs at the Dave Smith
Youth Treatment Centre, has seen an increase in crystal meth use
among teens in the last year, but pot and alcohol remain the drugs of
choice among the centre's teens.

Although the city has launched its integrated drugs and addictions
strategy, that includes a residential youth treatment program, Sidney
wants to see an advisory committee established to specifically deal
with crystal meth in Ottawa.

"We can't stop it from coming here, we can only limit the impact it
will have once it is here," he said.