AREA DRUG PROBLEM GROWING

Drug Squad Officer Details Trends In Sarnia

Life in Sarnia may seem rosy on the surface but the sad reality is
the city has a surging drug problem on its hands.

That was the message from a member of the Drug Enforcement Unit in a
presentation to the Sarnia Police Services Board Thursday.

Const. Mike Anderson detailed some of the trends he has noticed over
the past four years while working in the drug division of the Sarnia police.

While the use of some drugs, such as ecstasy, has been on the
decline, crack cocaine, crystal meth and abuse of prescription drugs
are all on the rise, he said.

Anderson calls the addiction to prescription drugs, namely oxycocet, alarming.

"I don't know why it's increased," Anderson told The Observer in an
interview. "In the city of Sarnia right now, it's alarming to see the
number of people who have a problem with prescription drugs."

Many of the city's break and enters and credit card frauds can be
traced to drug addiction, Anderson noted, as addicts struggle to
maintain gainful employment and resort to crime to feed their addictions.

Anderson adds that the appetite for hard drugs, such as crystal meth
and crack cocaine, is bigger now, not only in terms of the quality of
the product, but also the quantity.

The use of intravenous drugs is also a growing problem, he said.

Even though police have made some large seizures and arrested some of
those higher up the drug ladder, Anderson said there's no way to stop
the culture of drugs.

Although there are many victims of crimes committed by drug addicts,
Anderson said many of those caught up in drugs are victims themselves.

"A lot of people don't understand the victimization that's taking place,"

Anderson said. "They get caught up in that game and it's very hard to
get out ... it's ruining lives."

In his work with the drug enforcement unit, Anderson said there have
been many times when he came across addicts doing drug runs with
children in the car, or finding toddlers roaming drug houses where
the drugs are left in the open.

In cases such as those, Anderson said it doesn't take much for the
children to follow in their parents' footsteps.

"They grow up with that being their reality," he said.

Dr. Del Donald, a co-founder of the Bluewater Methadone Clinic,
understands how lives are being affected by drug addiction through
his involvement with the clinic.

Now in its second year, the clinic is currently providing services to
more than 200 patients dealing with addictions.

"The problem is, if you identify a problem and don't have a solution
for it, what do you do?" Donald said. "This is one of the reasons we
set this clinic up."

Donald said police have a role to play in controlling drug use in the
city but they alone can't solve the problem.

"If you look at it objectively, tightening drug laws has never
worked. It didn't work during prohibition and it certainly hasn't
worked now," he said. "I don't believe if you get tougher you can
ever clean up the drugs."

Sarnia's police chief, Bill O'Brien, does see a need for more of a
crackdown on drugs, which he said should start with the government
taking a clear stand on the law as it relates to marijuana.

Because of the mixed messages coming from different governments
regarding marijuana, O'Brien said many in the community are confused
about the law, noting many think pot is now legal.

"I don't think (the governments) realize marijuana is a stepping
stone to harder drugs," he said.

Additionally, limited police resources don't give officers the time
and equipment they need to reign in those at the top of drug chains.

"I think we're fighting a battle that's becoming increasingly
challenging," he said.

One of those challenges is the fact a joint task force established
with the Lambton OPP several years ago is in limbo because the OPP
officers involved have since moved on to other jobs and have not yet
been replaced, Anderson said.