SASKHEALTH RELEASES NEW STRATEGY: CRYSTAL METH IS SERIOUS HEALTH AND SOCIAL
ISSUE

The Saskatchewan Health department released a new strategy to deal
specifically with the problem of crystal methamphetamine and other
amphetamines on Thursday, describing it as a serious concern representing a
"significant public health and social challenge."

The strategy comes months after Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Brenda Bakken and a
colleague began talking about the need for a specific strategy to deal with
a growing problem of crystal meth use among young people.

Bakken said Friday she's glad the government is finally doing something,
but she's concerned there is no indication in the strategy of new money for
the program.

"If they try to do it within the existing services, you have to ask how
much commitment they really have." she said.

Bakken said the SaskParty will continue to monitor the government's
progress on a crystal meth strategy. "If they don't carry through, we will
raise questions about it."

Health Minister John Nilson said Monday he expects an increase in the $23
million drug addictions program in the upcoming provincial budget.

Each region will use its budget to deal with the problems in that area, he
said. If use of one substance goes up in one area, more funds will be
directed toward that, he said. "The strategy is a response to questions
about what resources the department has to deal with crystal meth and
putting it all in one place."

Nilson said he has known about the problem of crystal meth since he was
justice minister, but it had not shown up in Saskatchewan at that point.

He said police and other officials were made aware of it but more recently,
as questions were raised, he went to all the departments involved and put
everything in one place. It's part of the broader strategy the government
has to deal with addictions, he said.

Saskatchewan Health said the new initiatives are part of a comprehensive
alcohol and drug strategy being developed that will include additional
youth stabilization services to provide a safe place where youth may
withdraw from alcohol and drugs and stabilize physically, emotionally and
socially; more brief, detox services that provide safe places for
short-term stays to stabilize from serious drug abuse; mobile treatment
operations to meet the needs of northern communities; community outreach
centres to meet the needs of street youth and families with children who
have serious substance abuse issues; and a media campaign to raise public
awareness.

A background report released with the strategy said of clients admitted to
provincially-funded alcohol and drug treatment programs, the proportion
reporting problematic stimulant use, including crystal meth, increased from
7.9 per cent in 2001/02 to nine per cent in 2002/03 to 10 per cent in the
first nine months of 2003/04.

Nine out of ten clients report problematic use with alcohol and/or drugs
other than stimulants, said the report, adding that the Saskatoon
Addictions Services said about eight per cent of youth inpatient clients
and five per cent of adults report methamphetamine use.

Addiction Services also reports that less than five per cent of clients
list it as their first drug of choice.

The report said methamphetamine clients typically have pronounced mental
health issues that are often complex, like methamphetamine-induced
psychosis. Services delivered in collaboration with psychiatric and
inpatient mental health programs have been developed to provide more
effective integrated treatment, it says.

The Health department said details such as location and service delivery
will be determined through consultation with regional health authorities,
service providers and community groups in the coming months.