CRYSTAL CLEAR

THE FEAR that big city drug problems have arrived in Terrace was palpable
among those who came to a hastily organized town hall meeting last week.

The March 9 forum was held a week after the discovery of a methamphetamine
lab here.

More than 300 people came to hear RCMP drug specialist Chuck Doucette speak
about the dangers of crystal meth and what can be done to stop its spread.

"It was an eye opener," local parent and volleyball coach Mark Neid said
after the meeting. "They're more targetting kids. It's so readily available
and cheap to make."

Terrace resident Roger Carling-Kelly said he hopes it's a small-scale
problem that can be stopped now.

"We've got to stop the fire before it becomes a forest fire," he said.

Many who went said they were after information on how to spot signs of drug
use.

"I wanted to see how I can recognize if someone is using," said Chester
Angus, who volunteers with Skeena Jr. Secondary school's soup program.

He believes drug use, particularly marijuana, is widespread among local youth.

"I think it's all over the place," Angus said. "I've seen some students
smoke weed right outside the mall, right out in the open. People walk by -
they don't care." Some said they were shaken by the discovery at 4827
Lazelle Ave. of the first crystal meth lab west of Prince George.

Local mother Tabatha Orange said when she heard about it she was surprised
because she had suspicions about a different house in the same
neighbourhood. "I was really shocked - hearing that it wasn't the house
that I suspected," she said.

Orange and others are convinced there are more crystal meth labs here that
are yet to be discovered. "I wouldn't be surprised because of the low
employment rate right now," she said. "People need money and they need
money now. This is an easy thing to process."

Even less surprised about the presence of crystal meth here was Lisa Carpino.

She says she knew students who were using methamphetamine at Caledonia Sr.
Secondary five years ago when she was in her final year of high school.

"It was pretty new," Carpino said. "It was kept really quiet at Cal. But
they would stay up for days and not eat."

Carpino said she went to find out more about crystal meth, but found much
of the forum focused on stamping out marijuana.

"It was more about how marijuana is the primary drug and then you build up
to meth," she said. "I expected a little bit more."

Doucette and Terrace RCMP Inspector Marlin Degrand both took aim during the
forum at what they described as a dangerous undercurrent of social
acceptability toward marijuana - which they said can be an entry point to
drugs like meth.

When Doucette spoke to a high school audience here earlier in the day and
first mentioned the word marijuana, students applauded.

One woman at the forum told the audience she was shocked when middle-aged
friends of hers tried to light up a joint at her house.

Degrand said there seems to be an attitude of permissiveness or a lack of
concern about pot. But he called the arrival of crystal meth here highly
disturbing and dangerous.

"I've been shot at, stabbed at, threatened by people under the influence of
drugs and alcohol," Degrand said. "Nothing scares me more than this stuff
being in our community."

Degrand said three suspects believed to be behind the Lazelle meth lab have
been identified and will be arrested and charged.

"We've got the people who are directly involved," he said. "And we're
looking beyond that."

"I want to make this town the most uncomfortable place in the world for
these people."

Many in the audience asked what they can do.

One man said he lives in a designated drug-free zone but is unsure how to
deal with known users and dealers on his street.

"You're afraid to say anything," he said. "How do you deal with the verbal
abuse or them coming back and doing something to your house or your own
family?"

"All you can do is influence those who are around you and those who are
close to you," Degrand told him.

Doucette said prevention can work. Anti-smoking campaigns have succeeded in
changing public behaviour, he said, and it can work with drugs as well.

And there's strength in unity and the community working together, he added.

City councillor Stew Christensen said the RCMP's community consultative
committee, which had lapsed, is being revived in response to the drug issues.

He said he found Doucette's statistics that 95 per cent of first-time
crystal meth users become addicted are highly alarming.

"It's staggering," Christensen said. "Here are kids that have tried this
thing and 95 per cent of them are going to be addicted. And once you're
addicted that's a lifetime thing."