STREET DRUG INFORMATION SEMINAR OPENS EYES IN FAIRVIEW

Fairview Post -- Over 100 Fairview area residents gathered at E.E.
Oliver School on Sept. 29 to learn about street drugs and the impact
they can have on individuals and the community.

RCMP Corp. Brent Mundle -- who served in Fairview from 1994 to 1999 --
serves as the head of general investigations in Grande Prairie. He
said his knowledge of the subject has come from years of investigating
drug-related crimes.

Drugs and drug addictions are not just a concern for parents but for
everyone in the community, Mundle said.

"There are a lot of people worried about children taking drugs but you
also have to worry about the adults around us," he said.

Stress because of work or their personal life can contribute to adults
abusing drugs or alcohol because they can't cope with their day-to-day
life, Mundle added.

In the Peace country cannabis products like marijuana and hash are the
most commonly used illicit drug, he said. Hallucinogens like LSD and
psilocybn -- commonly called 'magic mushrooms' -- and stimulants like
cocaine and methamphetamine are also common, he said.

Mundle said "club drugs" like ecstasy, GHB and ketamine are less
common but are still present.

Drugs and alcohol are a contributing factor in crimes like assaults
with and without weapons, vandalism, sexual assaults, home invasions,
shoplifting, vehicle thefts, impaired driving and robberies.

Drug use carries heavy social and economic costs for users, their
families and society as a whole, he said.

Losses due to shoplifting, rising insurance and security costs drive
store prices up, he said, in addition drug users put a strain on
health care services.

Marijuana use is of major concern to RCMP.

"It's very available to school-age kids," he said.

Some adults may treat marijuana as not being a serious concern because
of experience with the drug in the 1960s and 1970s, Mundle said.

"THC is the active agent in marijuana. In the 1960s THC levels in weed
were about two per cent," Mundle said. "Modern hydroponically grown
marijuana can have THC levels at 15 to 17 per cent. That makes it a
lot more potent."

Hash or marijuana oil is derived from marijuana plants and typically
has THC levels between 10 and 20 per cent. Hashish, which is made by
forming the resin of hash oil into blocks, can have THC levels as high
as 40 per cent, he said.

When smoked cannabis products often make people relaxed, talkative,
giggly and can stimulate appetite, Mundel said.

Signs a child or loved one may be using marijuana include finding drug
paraphernalia like pipes, rolling papers, scorched knives from
"blading" or "hot knifing" and an abundance of lighters, Mundle said.

Marijuana addicts often experience dry, red eyes and weight loss or
gain, he added.

Cocaine and methamphetamine are both stimulants and have a similar
effect and appearance, Mundle said, but methamphetamine is more
addictive, produces a longer 'high' and has stronger physical and
mental side effects.

Cocaine is made by chemically processing the leaves of the coca plant
and typically costs $80-100 per gram.

Methamphetamine is made using household cleaners and other chemicals
to process ephedrine from over-the-counter medications, he said.
Methamphetamine runs about $10 per "point" (about one tenth of a gram)
on the street, Mundel added. Both tend to appear as white powder or
flakes, although methamphetamine sometimes looks like flakes of glass
or crystal, he said. Both can be snorted, injected or smoked.

While a cocaine 'high' may only last one hour, the effect of a couple
points of methamphetamine can last 12 hours, Mundle said.

Both drugs create an artificial sense of well being, self confidence
and give the user a boost of energy, he said. Prolonged use can cause
sweating, a chemical body odour, delusions, paranoia, discoloured
teeth, kidney and lung disease, brain damage, weight loss, scars and
open sores, he added.

Methamphetamine is gaining popularity here because it is cheaper than
cocaine and can be produced locally in illegal chemical labs, he said.

"Methamphetamine users show a more rapid decline than cocaine users.
I've seen cocaine users go for two years without lasting effects,"
Mundel said. "Meth addicts can decline from week to week."

In addition to watching for the physical symptoms, Mundel said, glass
pipes and tubes are often used to smoke cocaine and
methamphetamine.

Ecstasy is of the same "drug family" as methamphetamine but is usually
ingested in tablet form, Mundel said.

It is known as a "club drug" because it is often consumed by club and
party-goers.

"When you buy ecstasy you never know what you are getting," Mundel
said.

Ecstasy tends to produce a burst of energy which can last 12 hours or
more, as well as colourful hallucinations, he said. Users can suffer
from dehydration, heat stroke, panic attacks, seizures and teeth grinding.

Ketamine and GHB are both odourless, clear fluids used as
tranquilizers, he said. Both drugs have been used as date rape drugs
because they can render a person unconscious and can effect memory, he
said.

Signs parents should watch for in their children which could indicate
drug or alcohol abuse include sudden weight loss or gain, loss or
change of friends, a dramatic drop in school grades, loss of pride in
their appearance, sores or acne on the neck and a sudden need for more
money.

"We need greater parent involvement in their kids' lives," he said.
"Don't be afraid to confront them if you suspect they are using drugs."