MORE DETOX BEDS NEEDED

One mother cried, another stood, hands shaking, speaking softly into a
microphone in a room full of strangers.

Both are losing their daughters to crystal methamphetamine, both were in
Kamloops Tuesday begging for answers and begging for help. About 200 people
attended The Province newspaper-organized community forum at Thompson
Rivers Grand Hall Tuesday.

The forum outlined the growing need to address the increase use of
methamphetamines provincewide.

And that need for increased supports for those addicted to the drug was
brought home when one distraught mother from Oliver took to the microphone.

"I came here from Oliver because there is no help there . . . I've been
fighting for two years.

"The government doesn't help."

She told the crowd her daughter, now 19, was an honour student, and often
received praise from teachers.

"The first signs we got were too late."

The addiction manifested itself into legal problems and her daughter wound
up in court.

"She told the judge, 'I do not have a theft problem, I have a drug
problem,' and they didn't know what to do with her."

The mother recounted her trials of trying to get her daughter into detox or
some form of treatment, but lamented the waitlists were too long.

"The waiting lists are months. She needs help now and now I can't find her.
I don't know where she is."

Another concerned mother, walked to the microphone, her hands trembling as
she held notes out in front of her.

"I have a daughter who is 18.

"She should be able to graduate from NorKam in June, but she can't because
of crystal meth," she told the audience.

She, too, asked for help from the panel, which consisted of Province
reporter Matthew Ramsey, Kamloops Daily News reporter Mike Youds and his
son, recovering meth addict Andrew Youds and Vancouver Police Cpl. Scott
Rintoul.

Rintoul bemoaned the state of addiction services and detox beds in the
province.

"If your daughter wants to shoot heroin in Vancouver, that's fine; we'll
even give her the room.

"But, if she wants to get clean, we don't have room."

Detox beds need to be made available "on demand" he said.

"Why, in 2005, does this country, does this province, not have treatment on
demand? Switzerland has 5,000 detox beds, we have what, 120, 160?"

Methamphetamines are a significant problem in Kamloops, said Kamloops
Indian Band Chief Shane Gottfriedson, who attended the forum and spoke at
the open mic.

"I strongly believe we need to put more money into enforcement . . . We all
know in North Kamloops, it's no secret where the drug houses are."

Gottfriedson went on to suggest the community engage in "a summit" on the
increasing problem with crystal methamphetamine and offered up the
facilities on the KIB to accommodate such a forum.

Tuesday's forum was the final of four held across the province.