RURAL SCHOOLS ALSO WORRIED ABOUT CRYSTAL METH

Crystal methamphetamine is an ever more present problem in the north
east region.

Melfort Journal -- Crystal methamphetamine is an ever more present
problem in the north east region.

That is what students at Pleasantdale School heard during a
presentation Thursday afternoon in their school gym.

It was information Principal Gary Viczko wanted to make sure his Grade
seven to 12 students have for the future.

"We wanted to give the kids as much information as possible because
they need to know how dangerous this stuff is," he said.

"I don't think, in the north east part of the province, we are immune
to it. Not only is it in the urban areas but in the small rural areas
as well. I think there is an overall concern because of the very high
addictiveness of the drug."

Also known as 'speed' and 'crank' among others, crystal
methamphetamine can be snorted, smoked, injected or swallowed. The
high received lasts between six and eight hours and the drug is easy
to make with common household products like ammonia and medications
like Sudafed.

According to Community Youth Worker Jodi Hufnagel the drug is
addictive for nine out of 10 people.

"We want to be preventative," said Hufnagel who works with the
Department of Corrections and Public Safety.

"I would rather see these kids out here listening to this than having
them come to me and sit in my office with a criminal record and a bad
habit."

Signs of use include weight loss, violent behaviour, anxiety,
paranoia, sores and scratching.

The average life span of a user is around seven years said
Hufnagel.

"I'm not talking about Toronto, I'm talking about Saskatoon, Melfort
and Pleasantdale," she said.

"I don't think anyone really knows the extent of this drug at this
point. We hear a lot about it and we are just starting to see more
charges coming forward."

For Grade 12 student Norma Quaroni information about the drug's
effects hit hard.

"It's not so much that I've heard about it in Pleasantdale, but I'm
definitely worried about other young people my age," she said.

"The fact that people are frying their brains and killing themselves
there is going to be a total outpouring on the health care system that
we are going to have to pay for and deal with. We are going to have a
lot of messed up people."

For Viczko the more information he has, as an educator will put him in
better standing should he be faced with a student on the drug.

"We are on the forefront, because if we can recognize the symptoms we
can get in touch with parents and health workers and help them as far
as treatment," he said.