TOUGHER METH LAWS

It's an ugly drug, one that only takes 10 minutes to produce.

For that reason Alberta wants Ottawa to give it more ammunition for
the battle against crystal meth -- for good reason.

The effects of using this drug are horrendous, especially among the
teens who are turning to it, a cheap drug to purchase compared to
smoking pot or using crack.

A 24-year-old Edmonton addict lit his gasoline-doused body on fire. He
suffered third-degree burns to more than 50 per cent of his body after
chugging gasoline and pouring it over his body and then lighting
himself on fire.

Let's applaud the efforts of Solicitor General Harvey Cenaiko, who has
asked the federal government to introduce a law that would subject
anyone caught with ingredients needed to produce the addictive street
drug to face a maximum life sentence.

Harsh yes, but it makes no sense for a person caught with crystal meth
ingredients to receive a slap on the wrist from a judge. There's no
deterrent receiving a fine or three-year maximum sentence for being
caught actually manufacturing crystal meth. The current law introduced
recently has no teeth -- it's an offence to be in possession of the
ingredients without a licence.

We need to treat the crime as seriously as it regards the manufacture
of crack cocaine or trafficking in heroin or cocaine. This would
create a reverse onus situation, forcing the suspect to explain why
they are in possession of all the ingredients required in the
production of crystal meth, which is a seductive drug that doesn't
mess up users' heads immediately.

But those users who are hooked and try to stop are in for a long
battle. Meth addicts who stop using feel very depressed, disorientated
and sometimes self-destructive.

It's time to eradicate this addictive street drug. Give the police and
judges a law with more bite.