QUINTE WEST - INSPECTOR TRIES TO CALM FEARS ON DRUGS

Inspector Earl Johns tried to bring some clarity into the smoky area
of drugs at Monday's council meeting in Trenton.

"Drug issues are not new or unique to Quinte West," he said. He urged
the community to take a proactive stance on the situation. A
round-table forum is being held with students at St. Paul's Secondary
School.

Jim Harrison agreed the drug problem is not new. "What are we doing to
curb addiction?" he asked.

Johns agreed it was a societal issue, not targeted to one person or
group of people. "It is an education issue," he added. "We need to
make the downtown not attractive to the drug culture."

He noted that everyone can play a part. "Do parents know what crack
cocaine looks like?" Johns asked. "Most of them don't."

Doug Whitney said there are other districts across Ontario that have
drug problems, not just Quinte West.

However, Johns said their sources have gleaned from criminals that a
lot of drug traffic is routed through Quinte West. One source
indicated a direct route from Hamilton to Trenton.

Paul Kyte added that drugs infiltrate all areas of society.