ENFORCED TREATMENT PROPOSED

Alberta Solicitor General Heather Forsyth says the government needs to
consider new legislation that could force drug-addicted youths into
treatment centres.

It would work like an existing law that allows Alberta's child
prostitutes to be forced off the streets and into shelters, said
Forsyth. "It's one of the things we could explore . . . a way a child
could be apprehended when their life is in jeopardy."

The solicitor general told police officers, social workers and
educators who attended a provincial workshop on methamphetamine in Red
Deer on Tuesday that any new legislation needs to ensure addicted
minors are not criminally charged.

"They're addicted. They aren't doing anything criminal," said the
solicitor general, who was affected by the story of a former drug user.

Shawn Yanew, who used crystal meth, as well as heroin, crack cocaine
and ecstasy while he was homeless, spoke about how difficult it was to
get drug treatment in Alberta without being a criminal.

"I was just a regular 16-year-old, not a young offender, but you have
to be a young offender to get the help you need," said Yanew, who's
now 18 and drug-free.

The Edmonton-area resident said he forced himself to kick the habit
about a year ago, "but (quitting) is not something everyone can do on
their own."

Yanew favors Forsyth's idea about having some apprehension legislation
in place. But he also said teachers and parents needed to do a better
job of getting the anti-drug message out to children as young as 13.

There are too many soft-pedalled discussions, said Yanew, who believes
seeing actual video footage of addicts having paranoid melt-downs
would be a stronger deterrent for teens.

Jamie Parnell, a 19-year-old Calgarian who lived in a series of
methadone houses, believes peer-to-peer classroom discussions with
former drug users would have the best impact on students.

Parnell lived on the streets between being placed in 14 different
foster homes and group homes in three years. While she never became
addicted to drugs herself, Parnell said she lived with addicts and
believes it's a myth that most crystal meth users are teenagers.

"The ones who are hardcore into it are in their mid-20s," said
Parnell, who believes focusing on this group would also eliminate many
of the crystal meth producers.

Meth labs have been notoriously difficult for police to crack. Unlike
marijuana grow operations, which require space, meth can be made in
the trunk of a car with commonplace materials.

Forsyth suggested the federal government could do more to help police
by rewriting drug laws.

A new offence called Possession for the Purpose of Production should
be added to the Controlled Drug and Substances Act to allow police to
charge those operating meth labs, she said.

"We also need tighter controls around the precursor chemicals used to
make meth and we need laws that make possession of drug paraphernalia
illegal," added Forsyth.

Crystal meth, a highly addictive drug that's usually smoked, has been
used in Alberta for the past six years. It's become popular because it
gives users feelings of joy, power, success, high self-esteem and
energy. But it can also keep addicts awake for days and cause violent,
paranoid behaviour, as well as depression, irritability, nightmares
and nervousness.

Some symptoms - including brain damage - can be permanent, according
to some studies.