COCAINE USE BECOMING ISSUE FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT

Drug traffic is a major concern for any community whether it is small
or large, rural or urban, the Peace Country is no exception.

Corporal Ged Dentinger with the Peace River RCMP detachment said there
has been a major increase in drug use in Peace River over the last
three years. Crack-cocaine has become a prevalent issue for the local
police.

"We haven't had a large increase in meth (methamphetamines), in that
regards we have been pretty lucky," Dentinger said. "In town
crack-cocaine seems to be the biggest issue."

Corporal Dentinger is also very concerned with the culture of violence
and profiteering that surrounds the use and sale of
crack-cocaine.

"We're seeing more assaults and more assaults using weapons,"
Dentinger said. "We are seeing an increase in violence within the drug
culture."

There are drug dealers who have made a career from selling
crack-cocaine in Peace River according to Dentinger.

"There are a group of people who are selling the crack-cocaine and
living solely off of the proceeds from it."

David Nesbitt, a drug rehabilitation councilor with AADAC's Grande
Prairie facility, said that there are resources available for users
who want to come clean.

"If you find yourself saying this habit is really hurting me then you
need to sit down with a counselor," Nesbitt said. "The counselor will
ask a series of questions that determine what the next best course of
action is."

When users are ready to confront their addictions there is help
available at the AADAC office in the provincial building in Peace River.

There are counselors who help users that have sought treatment and are
ready to re-enter society and choose life patterns that lower their
risk of relapsing.

"The outpatient service that the Peace River location provides is
beneficial," Nesbitt said. "They say you have been away now for 2-3
weeks now lets apply what you have learned while you were away now
that you are home. Sometimes people aren't willing to change anything."

According to AADAC's Peace River office findings, the biggest
occurrence of drug use in Peace River is usually marijuana. However
they also have statistical proof that general drug use is on the rise
in Alberta.

According to a Canadian Addiction Survey conducted in 2004 by
AADAC:

"19.7 per cent of Albertans sampled reported the use of illicit drugs
other than cannabis during their life time. This corresponds to an
estimated 460,000 Albertans. The illicit drugs (other than cannabis)
most likely to have been used where crack cocaine and hallucinogens,
both used by Albertans at least once during their lifetime. "Speed"
(amphetamines) was used at least once during their lives by 6.1 per
cent of the population; ecstasy by 5.1 per cent and heroin, steroids
and solvents by less than 2 per cent."

In the Peace Country there have been drug busts in Manning and
Grimshaw. Recently there was an assault that led to police seizing
crack cocaine and $3700 believed to be the proceeds of drug sales.

According to the AADAC Addiction Survey: "The reported use of cocaine/crack
has also increased from 1.1 per cent in 1989 to 2.4 per cent in the current
study."

In another 2002 report by AADAC called Comparing Risk Behaviors Among
Urban and Rural Youth, the study found that despite popular myths
about drug use rural youth have as much exposure to the drug culture
as urban youth.

The same study found that 0.5 percent of youth in Alberta will have
access to cocaine while in junior high school. In high school the
number jumps to 5.1 per cent of Alberta youth having access to the
drug.