CRYSTAL METH IS GOING MAINSTREAM

There was a time, not that long ago, when marijuana had a stigma attached
to it.

Only suspicious people on the margins of mainstream society smoked reefers
- - beatniks, jazz musicians and the criminal element.

Conventional wisdom dictated that normal, healthy teenage rebellion was
expressed through consumption of large amounts of alcohol. Middle-class
kids who came home drunk were punished, often severely, but once the dust
of righteous indignation had settled, their parents quietly thanked their
lucky stars that no one was doing anything really deviant, like dabbling in
communism or reading Jack Kerouac.

Then came the Sixties, and pot began its ascent into general acceptance.
Nowadays it's no great shock to hear of professionals, suburbanites and
even grandparents growing and smoking weed. Heck, it's so mainstream that
even the federal government has a grow-op - for research purposes, of course.

It's taken 40 years for Canadian attitudes to reach the point where
marijuana use is largely considered harmless recreation, just like alcohol.

The argument put forward by pro-pot lobbyists has been that unlike
so-called hard drugs, marijuana isn't physically addictive and therefore
shouldn't be considered in the same breath as heroin, cocaine or crystal meth.

But the relaxing of attitudes has not been exclusive to pot. Witness the
weekend cocaine users in the 1980s and the so-called "heroin chic" look
promoted by the fashion industry in the 1990s.

And now there's perhaps the most dangerous trend of all: the mainstreaming
of methamphetamine, or crystal meth.

Crystal meth, which has been sold by drug dealers since the 1970s, is one
of the most powerful and highly addictive narcotics available. In recent
years it's gone from being considered a so-called street drug, like crack
cocaine, to a more socially acceptable "club drug," used by people who want
to party all night.

"This isn't something we're just seeing downtown on the streets," said the
Edmonton Police Service's Const. Darren Smith, who patrols the south side.
"I'm seeing people from all walks of life getting hooked on this stuff,
kids in particular."

Smith added: "We're hearing that it's really being pushed in the high
schools right now."

Meth dealers, according to police, are becoming clever marketers in order
to make the drug more acceptable. Smith said he's heard of teenaged girls
who first tried crystal meth because they were told it's a great way to
lose weight.

"What they're not told is how highly addictive it is," he said. "They might
figure they'll do a little, but before they know it they're hooked."

And once you're hooked, it doesn't matter how wealthy, supportive or loving
your family is, you're on the express elevator to wretchedness.

"Last week I encountered a young guy who was on meth," Smith said.

"He told me that since Dec. 31, he'd lost 50 lbs. But he also said, 'In six
months, I'll be done. I won't be here.' He'd already decided he was going
to die and there was nothing that could be done about it."

Smith talked about recently being called to a noisy party in a tony part of
Riverbend. The partiers were mostly local high school-aged kids from
well-to-do families. Not that long ago, Smith said, the police would simply
have confiscated their beer and perhaps some pot.

"In this case, several of the kids were using crystal meth," he said.

His voice became quiet and somber as he added, "We, as a society, have no
idea what we're up against. In all honesty, I'm really scared for the future."