CRACK'S BACK

But Was It Ever Gone?

While media reports and images have thrust crystal meth into the
spotlight in recent years, the drug of choice in Victoria remains
crack-cocaine.

So much so that this quiet island city has been nicknamed Cracktown
by drug users and people connected with the local drug scene.

"There's a lot of crack use in this city," said Sandra Brown, a drug
and alcohol counsellor with the Cool-Aid Society. "From what I hear
from people, it's more popular in the Victoria street community than
in Vancouver."

In her experience as a clinical counsellor, Brown says crack has
always been the drug of choice here.

"Some of the younger folks might have got more into the crystal meth
scene," she says, but added crack dominates the scene. "A lot of
crack users say crystal meth is junk and won't touch it."

Const. Brian Rowan, a street crime investigator with Saanich police
specializing in hard drugs, says that's true only half the time.

"Some people addicted to crack have switched (to crystal meth)
because of the price factor," he said.

"A lot of crack users will say that (meth is junk), but the other
half that have already switched won't say that."

While Brown works primarily with Victoria's street community, meaning
people without jobs or homes, or in unsafe housing, and who often
have addiction problems, Dave O'Brien is a counsellor working with
University of Victoria students.

He says substances conventionally known as hard drugs are uncommon at
the university. Though marijuana use is a major player among
students, cocaine comes up occasionally and is far more prevalent
than crystal meth.

"Cocaine comes through more exceptionally," O'Brien said. "There's
not a large incidence (of users) coming through our door."

Cost of cocaine keeps dropping

Even drugs follow the rules of supply and demand. And in Victoria,
supply is high.

Dealers, as they compete for buyers, drive the price of their product down.

A gram of cocaine is changing hands for $100, down from about $120
for the same amount five years ago, Victoria police Const. Brian
Rowan said. Buyers will pick up blow in grams, quarter-grams or
points (one-tenth of a gram).

"It's a supply issue and there's a lot of supply in the city," Rowan said.

Crack is selling for a little cheaper, at around $80 a gram. "It's
more available because of the demand for it."

Although Victoria's street community is a principal user of
crack-cocaine, it's not alone.

There's also a population of men and women in stable housing, with
secure jobs who are tapping into Victoria's crack-cocaine and even
heroine scenes. These people are able to get a fix when they need it,
drug counsellor Sandra Brown said.

"If you have access to more financial means and have safe housing,
you're going to be able to maintain your addiction in a different way
and have access to cleaner drugs," Brown said, referring to drugs
that have been cut, or "stepped on," less and are therefore more pure.

"(The street community) is more visible, but there are a lot of
addictions and problems going on behind closed doors as well."

Because drug use isn't usually an in-your-face activity, it's
impossible to say how many Victorians use hard drugs.

"Fifty per cent of (drug) users are smoking crack or using cocaine,"
Victoria police Const. Brian Rowan said. He guessed the total number
of users to be in the thousands.

Sgt. John Price, public information officer with Saanich police,
added, "People in higher-class groups are not normally identifiable
as regular users" because they hide their habit better. Users range
in age from late 20s to 40s.