WESTON'S ANTI-METH BILL WINS APPROVAL

A private member's bill from West Vancouver's MP that aims to make
crystal meth harder to manufacture has passed the House of Commons by
unanimous consent.

Bill C-475 amends Canada's Controlled Drugs and Substances Act to make
it illegal to possess, produce, sell or import chemicals with the
knowledge they will be used to create crystal meth or ecstasy, and
threatens violators with a prison term of up to 10 years.

The legislation, introduced by West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to
Sky country MP John Weston Wednesday, passed second reading in the
House of Commons 287-0.

I'm just delighted," said Weston. "People whose lives have been ruined
or whose family members or friends have been ruined wanted something
to be done."

A similar bill was tabled by Peace River MP Chris Warkentin in 2007,
but died when an election was called.

Unlike some street drugs, methamphetamines can be manufactured from
chemicals that are available to the public. Iodine, acetone, rubbing
alcohol, drain cleaner, even cold medication can be found on the list
of ingredients.

Until now, individuals found in possession of these precursors but
without the final product were not breaking the law. The new
legislation changes that, making it easier to prosecute drug makers,
said Weston.

"Law enforcement officials have been pleading -- Kash Heed was
pleading for this when he was solicitor general -- for something at
the federal level to make it harder for manufacturers and distributors
to do their thing.

"Crystal meth and ecstasy are both highly addictive and toxic drugs,"
said Weston. "They afflict a growing number of people of all
demographic types -- especially young people."

Their manufacture is hard on the environment as well, he added. "For
every kilo of drug, five to seven kilos of toxic waste is produced,"
said Weston.

In his speech to the Commons, the MP cited the example of an anonymous
34-year-old from his riding who claimed to have been addicted to
ecstasy for 15 years. The drug, he said, "had damaged her body and
mind forever."

While crystal meth is extremely addictive, according to Health Canada,
ecstasy is less so. "Ecstasy can be addictive, but physical dependence
is rare," reads a statement on the agency's website.