MISSION'S METH PROGRAM ONE OF MOST EFFECTIVE

This community's approach to the crystal methamphetamine problem is
one of the most effective in the world, according to a local youth and
family counsellor who recently returned from a United Nations' conference.

Fraser House's Angela Marshall and Mission Secondary School student
Cheryl Bodhaine-Haigh were in Bangkok, Thailand in late November,
meeting with other representatives from around the world and
discussing their countries' approach to combating amphetamine-type
drugs.

The United Nations' Drug and Crime office had received word about
Mission's crystal meth task force and invited representatives to join
the conference.

Marshall made a 15-minute presentation to the audience about the meth
problem in Canada, and Mission specifically.

Hearing from people in similar fields from across the world gave the
Mission members a unique understanding of the drug's global impact.

Each country has a slightly different problem with amphetamine-type
drugs, she noted.

Canadians between 14 and 29 years of age are the highest users, but in
Spain, the drug is used more in the club scene and the mean age of
users is 20. Thailand specifically has problems with Yaba tablets,
which are generally no larger than a pencil eraser. They are brightly
coloured, usually reddish-orange or green and are a combination of
amphetamines and caffeine.

"It was an honour to attend and be a representative of our country,"
stated Marshall.

Mission's crystal meth program began in September of last year, when
Fraser House and the Rotary Clubs joined forces and created a task
force following "overwhelming response" at a community meeting about
the drug.

The program branched out into three committees (education, enforcement
and treatment) providing a multi-pronged attack on this escalating
problem.