METH CAMPAIGN HITS LOCAL STORES

Home Hardware manager Dianne Rooke knew some of her products were the
precursors to crystal meth production, but she was shocked to learn just how
many.

Home Hardware on 223 Street in Maple Ridge was the first business hit by the
citizen-led Meth Watch program as it rolled out on Saturday.

"I knew some of the products were used [in meth production]," said Rooke,
citing camp fuel and lye as examples. "But I just couldn't believe some of
the others on the list."

Rooke was given a pamphlet featuring a lengthy list of the ingredients
commonly used in meth production. Among those products were common household
items such as aluminum foil, coffee filters and glassware, which came as a
shock to many store owners.

Seventy local businesses were visited by numerous volunteers Saturday from
the Meth Watch program, including police officers, auxiliary officers,
firefighters from both Pitt Meadows and Maple Ridge, and Rotary club
members. Pamphlets and stickers were handed out to businesses in Maple Ridge
and Pitt Meadows, and they were asked to post the information in their
storefront windows and lunchrooms in an effort to educate the public about
meth production.

The Meadowridge Rotary Club has led the creation of the Meth Watch program,
and president Mary Robson said she hopes this program will help arm the
community in the fight against crystal meth.

"There are so many meth recipes that use toxic ingredients readily available
in our grocery stores, drug stores, and hardware stores," said Robson. "We
want to stamp out the food source for the cockroaches."

And stamping out the would-be cockroaches has storeowners like Rooke
adamantly promising to educate employees about crystal meth precursors. She
added that she thinks her employees will be supportive of the program.

According to Surrey fire chief and local resident Len Garis, local
businesses will play a vital role in deterring meth cooks.

"We'll put posters in lunchrooms, lobbies, front windows, checkouts and on
the products," said Garis, who encouraged store owners to place Meth Watch
stickers directly on the products.

"If a meth cook goes into a store and reaches for a product, they'll see
it's being watched."

And if the product is being watched, chances are the would-be criminal will
not risk making the purchase, explained Inspector Janice Armstrong of the
Ridge-Meadows RCMP.

"Criminals as a rule are lazy, and if they're undetected, they'll keep going
back to the same stores over and over," said Armstrong. "We're going to make
it really uncomfortable for criminals to make their purchases."

For ex-crystal meth addict Ron Cammock, the program couldn't be better news
for Maple Ridge.

"It's an epidemic - you can get it anywhere. It's too easy," said Cammock.
"They're recruiting younger and younger kids, and they don't know it's
poison, or that it'll screw you up for life."

Cammock, a father of two who has been clean for only the past few weeks,
said businesses should shut down access to the products used in crystal meth
production. He added that store owners should force customers to sign for
possible meth products, so purchasing can be tracked.

In addition, some stores are opting to remove the products from their
shelves altogether. According to Adrienne Graff, manager of the Shopper's
Drug Mart on 224 Street, some precursors to meth have already been taken off
the shelves, and further steps will be taken once she examines the
information pamphlet.

"But if someone tries to come in and buy something abnormal, we will try to
intervene," said Graff, adding she plans to raise more employee awareness
about crystal meth precursors.

And once armed with this information, trained employees will be able to
contact the RCMP through the Chemical Diversion Hotline (1-800-387-0020)
when suspicious purchases take place.