MUCH MORE NEEDED, SAY COPS AND FAMILIES

Local drug cops and parents of drug-addicted teens say life sentences for
meth traffickers are only a small step in ridding Canadian streets of the
popular drug.

"It could be the death penalty for trafficking meth and it probably still
wouldn't solve the problem," said Edmonton narcotics cop Darcy Strang.

"It's a positive move by government, but the crux of the meth problem lies
in the supply of ingredients."

Yesterday, the federal government announced it is increasing the maximum
jail sentence for trafficking and producing the drug from 10 years to life
in prison.

A father of a recovering meth and ecstasy addict said the stiffer sentence
sends the right message, but falls short of addressing the problem at the
user level.

"There is an urgency now, there are hundreds of kids on the street today
with nowhere to turn," said Patrick, who asked that his surname not be used.

"More has to be done on a day-to-day basis to keep these kids from slipping
through the cracks."

Provincial Liberal Children's Services critic Weslyn Mather said the new
sentence reflects "the damage done by people who traffic in human suffering."

She validated parents' frustrations over the shortage of local resources to
treat meth addiction.

"They're absolutely right. We have to put more money into getting more
experts into the schools to educate kids," she said.

But for Lynn, another parent of a recovering meth addict, a solution will
require more than simply having police officers and K-9 units visit
children in class.

"Our courts don't typically give maximum sentences, and minimizing this in
the courtroom only minimizes this legislation," she said.