CRYSTAL METH HAS ARRIVED, NURSE TOLD

Anecdotal Evidence From Drug Users

ADDICTION -- Signs of crystal meth are showing up on the streets of
Halifax.

A nurse who works at a youth shelter and a clinic for drug users says
she has heard anecdotal evidence, mainly from drug users who said they
took it unknowingly.

Patti Melanson, a nurse at Phoenix Youth Shelter and Direction 180,
said people who are accustomed to using crack and ecstasy are
reporting longer and different highs than usual.

Crystal meth can cause a high that lasts 10 to 12 hours.

"Drugs don't come with a list of ingredients on the package when
you're buying them at the street level," she said. "So we can never
know what's in things."

She said people need to be cautious and aware that most drugs are
masqueraded as other drugs when they come into new areas.

Halifax Regional Police Det. Ken Burton said there have been no
arrests or seizures, but police are investigating reports of personal
labs.

"People are making crystal meth, but they're making it just for
themselves," said Burton. "They're not making it for resale."

Crystal meth is a street form of methamphetamine, also known as speed.
The colourless, crystalline solid is relatively easy to produce by
mixing a cocktail of about 15 chemicals, including cold remedies that
contains pseudoephedrine, such as Sudafed Decongestant and Contac Cold
12-hour.

Police recently seized a quantity of ecstasy that contained
methamphetamine, said Burton.

Police are discussing protocol in the case of a full-fledged meth lab
in Halifax. "It's a terrible drug, but we haven't seen it yet, and we
have a big enough fight with the crack problem in our city," he said.

"If the crystal-meth problem comes, then obviously we'll have to
change gears a little bit and try and address that problem as well."

Nearly half of 35 youth interviewed for a 2005 ARK Outreach survey of
Halifax street youth said they had tried meth, mainly on trips to
Western Canada, where it has emerged as a problem in recent years.
Most agreed it's on its way here.

In April, pharmacies pulled cough and allergy medicines containing
pure ephedrine or pseudoephedrine from their shelves.

Last month, cabinet passed a law aimed at crystal meth.The Protection
from Illegal Drugs Act allows cabinet to regulate the sale of
"ingredients, materials and equipment that may be used in the
production, manufacture or use of illegal drugs."

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CRYSTAL METH

* Crystal meth is a street form of methamphetamine, also known as
speed.

* It's a colourless, crystalline solid.

* Common street names are ice, crystal, glass, jibb and
tina.

* The main ingredient is pseudoephedrine, a common cold remedy found
in Sudafed Decongestant and Contac Cold 12-hour.

* It's cooked with other chemicals, such as iodine, red phosphorous,
ammonia, paint thinner, ether, Drano and the lithium from batteries.