News Views

METH WATCH

A national Meth Watch program started Saturday in Maple Ridge and Pitt
Meadows as posters, stickers and pamphlets were handed out to 70 local
businesses.

The "Life or Meth" task force is made up of representatives from the
Meadowridge Rotary Club, local police and firefighters, the school
district, and addiction treatment experts. Its goal is to educate retailers
and employees abut the production of crystal methamphetamine.

Without being too specific about the recipe for this noxious street drug,
it's been common knowledge among police, pharmacists and other informed
observers for some time that there is a reason why people wish to obtain
large quantities of certain over-the-counter cold remedies and other common
chemical products. When we asked a local pharmacist last year about the
effectiveness of one of these cold remedies, he said that it worked well,
but it wasn't due to its popularity with cold sufferers that there was only
one box of it on the shelf. "Bulk purchases?" we asked. "Bulk thefts," he
replied.

Insp. Janice Armstrong, officer in charge of the local RCMP detachment,
understands the costs of this chemical scourge as well as anyone. Every
day, police officers face the fact that this is the drug of choice for many
street people. It's cheap, its effects last many hours, it dulls hunger,
and it keeps people awake through a long cold night. It also increases
aggression, and with prolonged use it can cause psychological effects that
may linger even long after use is discontinued.

Tobacco users are charged heavy taxes and confronted with graphic pictures
of cancer-ravaged teeth when they purchase their drug of choice at a corner
store. An even stronger message needs to go out to those who might be
inclined to purchase crystal meth, and those who might unwittingly be
supplying its components.