WORKSHOP ADDRESSES HOW TO DEAL WITH DRUGS AND ALCOHOL

Is there cause for alarm - when it's easy to make, easy to obtain, cheap to
purchase, and gives you a higher high? Crystal meth has surpassed heroin
and cocaine as the drug of choice. Unfortunately, most kids have access to
it with their allowance money. Usage has crossed all socioeconomic lines.

Is there cause for alarm - when police officers wear total body suits to
dismantle a meth lab, aware of its potential to explode, poison and destroy?

Some meth houses have set explosive traps endangering the lives of
officers, neighbors and bystanders. Is there cause for alarm - when the
ingredients used (draino, cough syrup, paint thinner and human urine) are
easily accessible? Is there cause for alarm, or cause for action?

The Community Drug and Alcohol Task Force hosted an informational meeting
on Jan. 17 at Clearwater Secondary School. Guest speaker was Constable Dean
Gladue, a coordinator with the RCMP DAS (Drug Awareness Service).

Equipped with relevant videos, up-to-date research and numerous handouts,
Gladue blew apart many myths concerning substance abuse. "Kids are hearing
mixed messages," Gladue said, referring to the growing acceptance of
marijuana as a safe drug.

If kids are getting addicted to marijuana, "... how is it a safe drug?"
Gladue asked.

B.C. Bud, which refers to the high potency marijuana grown in this
province, is traded pound for pound for cocaine in the United States. Safe?
It's not, he said.

Children have been the victims of meth labs, as many labs have been found
in the bathrooms or kitchens of homes with young children. Some parents
have hidden drugs on their children and in their strollers, while others
have trafficked illegal substances with their young children present. As
most violent crime and property crimes are directly related to substance
abuse, Gladue insists, "... it's not just a police problem, it's a
community problem."

Research has shown that first time users are getting younger, drugs are
easier to obtain, and there is an increase in drug-related deaths. With
illegal drug use increasing, Gladue challenged, "How much noise is your
community making to put a stop to it? What are you doing within your circle
of influence?"

Why promote drug awareness and drug prevention? Gladue revealed his
motivation. "I'm trying to keep kids from dying."

Gladue encouraged proactive community involvement. Because people who set
up drug houses and meth labs choose their neighborhoods carefully, desiring
unsuspecting neighbors and landlords, it is important to be alert and
informed. Resources available from the RCMP Drug Awareness Service teach
how to spot a clandestine lab site and how to report a suspected grow
house/grow up or drug house.

Using the Crimestoppers TIPS line also turns up the heat, and provides
valuable information to the RCMP. Gladue believes that those opposed to
illegal drug use are the majority, but they often are a "silent majority."
It is vitally important to know where one stands on this issue. As
Constable Gladue related, "If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for
everything."

According to Sgt. Stuart Seib of the Clearwater RCMP detachment, crystal
meth is definitely in our community; current marijuana use exceeds the
provincial average per capita and cocaine use in our community meets the
provincial average. Cause for alarm or cause for action?