COKE ABUSE GROWS IN PROVINCE

Cocaine abuse is Alberta's biggest drug problem, with reported
offences jumping 12% last year, according to a provincial task force.

That's compared to a 1% dip in overall drug offences across the
province in 2006.

Those involving marijuana saw an 8% reduction, according to the
report compiled by Alberta's Crime Reduction and Safe Communities
Task Force and released last week.

Red Deer Tory MLA Mary Anne Jablonski, who sat on the province's
crystal meth task force, said yesterday cocaine abuse is now more
cause for concern than crystal meth.

"Because nobody's really focused on or emphasized the consequences of
using cocaine, and because the drug is not as dirty as crystal meth,
I think that people turned to cocaine for their preferred drug of
use," said Jablonski.

"Obviously, they're not as afraid of cocaine as they are of crystal meth."

But, Jablonski said the province's focus needs to be on thwarting all
drug use, not just crystal meth.

"It isn't the crystal meth crisis that I would work on behalf of --
it's the entire drug addiction crisis," she said.

Across Canada, there has been a 67% increase in cocaine offences,
including drug possession and trafficking, since 2002, according to the report.

The province says it supports the task force's recommendation to
expand treatment for addicts and crack down on drug dealers.

The report identifies the province's growing prosperity as a factor
in more cocaine flooding Alberta towns and cities.

Brooks Mayor Don Weisbeck said he has seen a noticeable surge in the
use of cocaine since the oilpatch boom hit his community.

"It certainly remains the drug of choice among adults."