SECOND METH FORUM PLANNED

Addicts Speak In Advance Of Meeting

Editor's note: the following article is the first in a three part
series on illicit drug use. The Chief is working in conjunction with
Shaw TV 10 to educate the community. Shaw TV 10 will air a special
program on meth the weekend before the forum.

The Squamish Breakfast Club is planning to have another crack at
trying to draw attention to the potentially deadly power of the
illegal drug known as crystal meth.

A second community forum on the drug is set for Monday, Oct. 17 from 7
to 9 p.m. at Brennan Park.

The forum is an attempt to prevent more people from ending up like
Traith Jones. Jones is currently serving the final weeks of a prison
term at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre.

Meth played a significant role in landing Jones in jail.

Jones was hooked on meth and living a life of an addict as described
by a fellow meth user in an upcoming special meth awareness program on
Shaw TV 10.

Ian, a Squamish resident who claims he has used meth on two occasions,
told TV 10 that users steal to support their habit and when they have
money to buy drugs they can stay awake for as long as nine straight
days.

Ian wouldn't give his last name but he said he lives in an area of
Squamish where his neighbours are regular meth users. "Anybody that
owns anything that can be turned around and sold or pawned is in
danger of losing what they have unless it is locked," said Ian.

He added that meth addicts are partial to mountain bikes, vehicles and
the contents of sheds.

In a letter written from jail by Jones (published in its entirety on
page 11 of this week's Chief), he reported that he and his addicted
friends retreated to safe houses during the day to consume drugs.

"Waiting for nightfall and our world to return," Jones wrote. "Police
pursuits and excessive criminal activities were all we knew, thieves
stealing cars to drive to other scores, creeps prowling, hookers
hooking, dealers dealing, police somewhere between each endlessly
hunting perpetrators, suspects and descriptions."

According to Ian, there are people in Squamish using meth daily and he
said they look like zombies.

He said he doesn't know anyone who has ever quit meth after becoming
addicted. The only way to break the addiction, Ian said, is for
concerned friends and family members to conduct an intervention and
force the addict into a recovery centre.

The first meth forum drew a capacity crowd and organizers hope to
achieve the same success on Oct. 17.

Next week: The Chief and TV 10 look into a "drug box".