CRYSTAL METH COALITION SETS KEY OBJECTIVES

Community Presentations On Crystal Meth Is One Of The Key Objectives
For The New Fort Macleod Crystal Meth Coalition.

The volunteer group has also decided its role is to support the
proposed youth centre project and to network with other community groups.

"It's very much in the beginning as to where we're going to focus our
attention as a coalition," co-chair Angela Bourassa said. Eighteen
people turned out Wednesday at the Foothills Centre for the third
meeting of the coalition.

At the meeting coalition members confirmed the mandate should include
community awareness, promotion, prevention and education about
crystal meth and other substance abuse.

The coalition's work will include public presentations about crystal
meth, advocacy for the proposed new youth centre, networking with
community groups, and linking with Fort Macleod schools.

The mandate and key objectives are listed in an application being
prepared by the coalition for a $3,000 grant from the AADAC Community
Drug Coalition Grant Program.

Bourassa, co-chair Val Campbell and Murray Kowalzik prepared the
grant application for consideration by other coalition members. "This
was a brain-storming effort by the three of us," Kowalzik said. "This
isn't written in stone."

The coalition has discussed organizing a community meeting on crystal
meth, with presentations by a scientist on the effects of the drug on
the brain, as well as by a recovering addict.

"We thought we should set up a sub-committee and look at that as one
of our first goals," Kowalzik said.

The coalition has also determined that a youth centre would provide a
healthy atmosphere for young people and an alternative to drugs and alcohol.

"We could advocate for that on a lot of different levels," Kowalzik
said of the youth centre.

The coalition will also have representation at meetings of other
local groups, such as the RCMP Community Advisory Committee and the
Fort Macleod Interagency Committee.

"We want to make sure all the groups in the community know what the
coalition is doing," Kowalzik said.

Another idea discussed by the coalition is lobbying to the solicitor
general to establish a drug-free zone of several blocks around Fort
Macleod schools.

"If you were arrested trying to sell drugs within so many blocks of a
school, the penalty would be higher than normal," Kowalzik said. This
approach was tried without success by another Alberta community, he added.

The coalition's next meeting is 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 1 at the
Foothills Centre.