AADAC OFFICIALS APPLAUD CALL FOR MORE SERVICES IN CRYSTAL METH REPORT

Members of an addiction agency that operates in the city are glad a
call has been made to give crystal meth users more help to kick the drug.

The Premier's Task Force on Crystal Meth released a report Tuesday
asking for provincial funding to create 300 detoxification and
treatment beds for users.

"It would be an asset to have more services because we do have people
asking for it," said Carol Crerar, a spokeswoman for the AADAC
Northern Addictions Centre in Grande Prairie.

Crerar said population growth in the Peace Country is putting a lot
of demand on the 20 detoxification beds and 43 treatment beds in the city.

Since April 1, there have been more than 900 admissions for
detoxification, she said, sometimes resulting in a shortage of spaces.

While meth use is a concern, most clients at the addictions centre
come primarily because of problems with alcohol or cocaine, she said.

The task force conducted consultations in a dozen communities
throughout the province in order to generate the 83 recommendations
put forward to the Alberta government in its report.

They are part of a broad strategy to combat use of the drug, focused
on the areas of health care, law enforcement and education.

'CHRONIC' SHORTAGE

In light of a "chronic" shortage of detoxification beds in cities
such as Grande Prairie, the report recommends the creation of 100
beds accessible to youth, adults and aboriginals in Alberta. It also
calls for the creation of 200 beds for treatment.

Murray Finnerty, the AADAC CEO, said he supports the report.

He agrees that more services for addicts are needed in Grande Prairie.

"We would love to be able to have the ability through some government
funding to do more in the area," he said.

In response to the meth task force report, Alberta's health minister
said the tens of millions of dollars are likely needed to follow
through on the recommendations is worth it in order to fight the
drug's devastating impact.

The creation of 300 beds would cost around $30 million and take
several years to implement, Iris Evans said.

How the government follows through on the task force's
recommendations will be up to whoever replaces Ralph Klein, Evans said.

Finnerty said when a meth user decides to seek help, there is a
narrow window of opportunity to act, so it is crucial to have
services available.

"If you're high on drug or seriously affected by alcohol and you want
a safe place to come down from that you need a detox bed," he said.

(With files from The Canadian Press)