HARDER DRUGS FUEL FOR CRIME

Kids, Families Pay Price

Winnipeg's hard drug trade is a huge social problem affecting far more
people than just users and dealers, says Winnipeg Police Service
spokeswoman Const. Shelly Glover. Parents leave children hungry to
feed their habits. Children steal from their parents, friends, anyone
they can. Young women turn to hooking. And more.

"There are so many crimes that are committed to support drug habits,
it's incredible," Glover said.

"It really is a bigger problem than just the fact that they are
trafficking. That's why we concentrate so many efforts on this
problem, because we know it affects us socially and affects our
children and our families."

Crack is the drug of choice among the vast majority of users seeking
help at Winnipeg rehab centres.

"Even five years ago the majority of our clients were citing alcohol
use as the main use," said Jean Doucha, assistant executive director
at the Behavioural Health Foundation. "Now it has reversed. It is
definitely crack among our adult population."

More Seek Treatment

At the Salvation Army's Anchorage Addiction Rehabilitation program,
the number of clients seeking treatment for crack addiction has gone
up 50% in the last year alone, said program director Doreen Kydd.
"Seventy per cent of our clients say crack is their main problem," she
said.

And crack isn't the only hard drug ringing alarm bells among city cops
and addiction workers. Crystal methamphetamine, a powerfully addictive
stimulant, is turning up more often on city streets and in police
evidence rooms.

In September, 10 Manitobans were busted in a Canada-wide drug
investigation that resulted in the seizure of 20,000 pounds of
ephedrine worth $14.5 million. Ephedrine is a key ingredient in the
manufacturing of crystal meth.

While city rehab centres have yet to treat many crystal meth addicts,
addictions workers expect that to change, and soon. "We have only had
a couple of meth addicts and that is surprising because that is what
we are hearing about, that the drug is out there," said Kydd.

At the Behavioural Health Foundation, about 5% of clients identify
crystal meth as their drug of choice. "We anticipate it is going to
increase because everybody who comes in tells us that it is on the
streets and it is really easy to get and the high lasts a lot longer,"
said Doucha.