METH TOOK VANCOUVER BY SURPRISE

The biggest tragedy of crystal meth, according to Gayway's health advocate
Phillip Banks, was that it could take a city, with so much experience in
dealing with addiction, by surprise.

Banks, who has worked for AIDS Vancouver for more than a decade, and the
gay men's health resource centre Gayway since its inception, said: "Of all
cities, based on all we've handled over the last couple of decades,
shouldn't Vancouver be in a better position to respond before the damage is
done? Even with the Downtown Eastside and after heroin, cocaine and crack,
we still don't have systems and mechanisms for when the next big issue
comes along and that's very frustrating."

Banks said the gay community saw the first signs almost seven years ago but
there was "no response" from addictions and health services groups.

"Then three years ago, the dam started to break. We were hearing from more
and more people with relationships being destroyed by crystal. There was a
definite panic response." He said the resulting fear and anger had led to
negative perceptions of users from a community generally tolerant of drug
use within the party scene.

"Users weren't demonized for taking ecstasy, GHB or ketamine but people had
a very different reaction to crystal meth."

Banks said that because of the extreme consequences of crystal meth
addiction, divisions were emerging between those advocating the traditional
harm reduction stance and many former users arguing that abstinence was the
only approach.

In response, Banks said Gayway has applied for federal funds in order to
research the extent of the problem in the gay community and how best to
tackle it.