METH WARNING GIVEN

Forum Covers Effects Of Crystal Methampetamine

Former crystal meth addicts, addictions workers and emergency
services workers talked bluntly about the effects of the drug at a
forum on Thursday evening.

"Crystal meth destroyed my life, destroyed my family and destroyed
my friends," says Amanda, one of the former addicts on the panel.

She started using the drug in Penticton and continued in Summerland.

Eventually, she was arrested and was able to quit using the drug
while in jail. After she was released, she spent six months in a
treatment program in Penticton.

Hailey, another former user on the panel, also warned against using
crystal meth.

"It's just like the worst drug there is out there," she says. "It
just ruins your brain. I'm still in Grade 9 and I should be
graduating this year."

She says the drug is highly addictive, explaining that it took her
31i?= 2 years to quit. She made the decision to quit the drug after
her mother died.

Jeremy Watson, an addictions counsellor with Teen Challenge and a
former meth addict, says coming off the drug is a long process.

Jody Meyer, a drug addictions counsellor with Pathways in Penticton,
says methamphetamines have been around for at least 40 to 50 years.
Crystal methamphetamine is a fully synthetic product which is potent
and easy to make.

Rick Treby of the B.C. Ambulance Service in Summerland says the drug
can take serious tolls on its users.

"It's not a pleasant sight to see someone who's 24 and looks as if
she's 40 years old because of the way the drug's ravaged them," he says.

The forum was organized by the Summerland Asset Development
Initiative. It was set up to raise awareness of the drug.