CANADIAN-MADE METH-LACED ECSTASY HITS U.S. STREETS

Airdrie Echo - Americans have seen a substantial rise of
Canadian-made meth-laced ecstasy being smuggled in to the United
States over the past few years.

According to a press release from the Office of National Drug Control
Policy (ONDCP) in the United States, nearly 5.5 million doses of this
'extreme ecstasy' were seized in 2006 in the 10 border states, up from
just over 568,000 doses seized in 2003.

However, Calgary-based RCMP Sgt. Patrick Webb says he is not aware of
methamphetamine-laced ecstasy, nor the drugs on their own, being
exported from this region.

"No seizures have been made by the integrated border unit," Webb
said.

The veteran RCMP officer said there are methamphetamine, ecstasy and a
combination of both drugs out there, but RCMP and Calgary Police
Service both make regular seizures of these drugs and the amount of
these drugs in the Calgary area is not out of hand.

However, Webb said, it is an issue across Southern
Alberta.

"If somebody wants it, they can find it," he said.

Webb said methamphetamine is combined with ecstasy because more people
are willing to try ecstasy than meth, so it is mixed to make a more
addictive drug, with the result that dealers can make more money.

"With most drugs, the people dealing it have no care for the people
using it," Webb said. "It's not done for anyone's good feelings, just
for money."

Both methamphetamine and ecstasy can interfere with the body's ability
to regulate temperature, which can lead to an increase in body
temperature. Although this may not sound too dangerous, a rise in body
temperature can cause liver, kidney or cardiovascular system failure
or even death.

According to the ONDCP press release, RCMP estimate Canadian ecstasy
labs can produce more than two million doses of ecstasy per week.

One reason that number is so high could be that most ingredients used
to make these drugs are unrestricted, so it isn't difficult to get
them.

However,Webb said, ingredients that are restricted are still available
in some manner.

The ONDCP report said that more than 55 per cent of ecstasy doses
seized in the U.S. contained methamphetamine.

Before 2003, Belgium and the Netherlands were the primary suppliers of
ecstasy to the U.S., but through improved government co-operation, law
enforcement operations and media reports the drug trafficking network
was severely reduced.

ONDCP hopes that a similar method could be used to reduce drug
trafficking between the U.S. and Canada.