TARGETING METH AT THE SOURCE

Parents have long looked on in frustration as their children are
sucked into a downward spiral brought on by addiction to crystal
meth, a growing problem in part because the lethal drug is so readily
available.

Easily cooked up with store-bought items, meth is making its mark in
our schools. A recent student survey indicated eight per cent of
Surrey high school students have tried it, and four to five per cent
remain in its grip.

Help is on the way as the Surrey regional meth task force mobilizes.
The group is educating retailers this month about how some products -
such as iodine, red phosphorous, and cough and allergy medicines -
are being used to create the deadly drug.

It will be up to those retailers to take the warnings seriously.
Selling the products to suspicious characters is playing into the
dealers' hands.

As a 23-year-old recovering meth addict said in a letter to this
newspaper this week, "Look at the zombies walking around higher than
kites. This issue isn't going to go away. I almost died from this
stuff. Wake up, it's coming and it's here."

With a concentrated effort from the task force, retailers, pharmacy
associations, schools, parents - and on the frontlines, young people
who say no to this dangerous drug - hopefully meth will soon be
harder to obtain.