CRYSTAL METH USE AT HEART OF SEMINAR

B.C. Man Brings Powerful Message To Educators, Police, Health-Care Workers

A police officer and politician are doing more than just thinking
about the powerful presentation last Friday (Sept. 7) by Mark
McLaughlin, president of the Crystal Meth Society of British Columbia.

McLaughlin's information set Oakville Ward 1 Councillor Ralph
Robinson on a mission to put in place a bylaw that allows a
municipality to shut down suspected clandestine labs.

Halton drug enforcement officer Det.-Sgt. Robert Waller assured
McLaughlin he would look into testing future drug seizures for
crystal meth content. (It's an inexpensive filler sometimes used to
bulk up other drugs such as ecstasy, cocaine and marijuana).

Although Waller hasn't seen evidence of crystal methamphetamine being
distributed locally, "I'm not naive enough to think it's not here," he added.

The presentation was made at the Halton Region Administrative Centre,
1151 Bronte Rd.

In a room full of educators, paramedics, social workers, community
help and health workers, the possibilities for safeguarding the
region with information are great.

For now, the reactions of Robinson and Waller are reassuring to
McLaughlin, who discovered a void of information about the drug when
his daughter became a user at age 14.

He and his wife Ruth set to work on filling the abyss by founding a
registered charity in 2005.

In the interim they educated about 8,000 students, built a website
(www.crystalmethbc.ca) and set up a community watch program to
educate store clerks and homeowners alike.

McLaughlin is intent on making communities across the county "put on
their crystal meth glasses" to clearly see and expose the detritus of
this cheap, easily made and accessible drug.

"It thrives especially when it is allowed to permeate unnoticed,"
said McLaughlin.

Called 'jib,' 'meth', 'gak', 'speed', 'crank', 'ice', 'shard',
'sketch', 'crystal' and 'tina', it's a white or off white powder or
crystal that is injected, inhaled, smoked or eaten. Crystal meth is
made from easily-acquired ingredients found in pharmacies, hardware
and grocery stores. It can be easily made in portable labs as small
as a bathtub.

For a $5 to $10 dose, the high lasts eight hours or more, is three
times as powerful as crack cocaine and is described by users
interviewed in a film called Death by Jib as "the worst drug in the world."

It is certainly the most addictive in current use. Dopamine in our
brains rises to 100 parts per million (ppm) after eating chocolate,
to 350 ppm with cocaine use and to 1,200 ppm when a person takes
crystal meth, the audience was told.

"Every kid and their parents should be forewarned," said McLaughlin.
"Forewarned is forearmed."

In the B.C. dad/activist's presentations to middle and high school
students, he teaches them ways to say no to someone offering drugs.
"Leave the room, make a joke of it, or avoid eye contact."

Parents and community caregivers should be aware of the warning signs
that someone is using crystal meth: insomnia, or sleeping for several
days, decreased appetite, extreme energy, rapid speech, excessive
sweating, sudden aggression, and an altered personality.

Crystal meth causes paranoia, hallucinations, rages, violent
behaviour, depression and leaves users bereft of logic and emotional capacity.

"Users get to the point where meth becomes the solution to the
problem of crystal meth," said McLaughlin.

Its ill effects also impact the community, by way of increased
thefts, car accidents, property damage, compromised public health and
family break up.

"You don't hear about crystal meth first, in the news or courts,
first you hear that Johnny stole a car," said McLaughlin. "We have to
look closer at the cause and act on that to stem the problem."