U.S. EXPERTS WARN ABOUT CRACK ABUSE

Seasoned U.S. crack fighters yesterday warned Edmonton school boards and
police to "watch out."

Local school boards and cops deny there's a crack problem in Edmonton
schools, while University of Alberta drug abuse researcher Dr. Louis
Pagliaro says students are smoking the highly addictive substance every day.

"Indianapolis had one of the lowest crack usage rates in the country. Then,
four years ago, something happened," Sgt. Paul Ciesielski, of the
Indianapolis City Police, said.

"The homicide rate started to soar and all the problems related to crack,
like prostitution and theft, went on the rise.

"It sounds like you've got what we experienced here, it just started to turn
up more and we got reports of crack being used by students."

Washington State Alcohol and Drug Referral Service counsellor Jane said new
juvenile addiction centres were being built in the U.S. to deal with rising
teen drug abuse.

"If they don't think it's in schools I'd say watch out," Jane said. "You
have to keep your eyes open and look for changes in student behaviour."