APRIL 14 FORUM TACKLES CRYSTAL METH USE

It's moving north from California and now the double-barrelled drug is
appearing in Sooke.

Cheap - $10 a dose - and highly addictive, crystal meth is an illicit
drug that blocks hunger and fatigue and turns a sedate person into a
hopped-up, mile-a-minute gabber.

"We want people to know crystal meth is here," said Sooke RCMP Staff
Sgt. Jennie Latham. "It's a horrific, horrific drug."

To help parents, and anyone else who is concerned, the RCMP are
hosting a free crystal meth community forum April 14 at 6:30 p.m. in
Edward Milne community school's theatre (EMCS).

"Our prime goal is education," Latham said. In her prior Lower
Mainland postings, Latham witnessed how the drug, which can be
swallowed, smoked, sniffed or injected, has destroyed families.
Straight A students and star athletes succumbed to the drug, getting
addicted and obsessed with getting more "ice", "crank", "glass",
"go-fast", "meth" or "speed".

The forum will feature a 5-person panel addressing aspects of crystal
meth.

Vancouverite and ex-addict Randy Miller will talk about life on the
streets.

Daphne Churchill, a school principal in Victoria, will cover the
school and drugs angle.

Federal lawyer Laurie McMorran will discuss parental rights when
dealing with kids and drug issues.

Dr. Bayla Schecter, a regional medical advisor specializing in illicit
drugs, will provide a medial/biological perspective.

And Sooke Cpl. Ray Champagne will inform the audience of Sooke's drug
trends and what he and other RCMP officers are seeing in the East
Sooke to Port Renfrew area.

District of Sooke Coun. John Stephen will also be on hand. He's part
of the detachment's community consultative group, and from what he has
observed, the forum is needed.

"It (crystal meth) appears to be used in a wholesale manner in the
community," Stephen said.

The father of grown children, Stephen said some crystal meth users
could be kids looking for quick thrills or seeking something to fill
their idle time.

"They're lacking something," he said.

Throw in parents who are stressed to the max by their domestic or
economic situations and giving children the attention they need can
become problematic. But it remains up to parents to put their kids on
the right track, Stephen said. Next week's forum will be a starting
point for parents.

They need to know about the drug, often produced in meth labs located
in residential homes, because crystal meth users can start young.
Weight-conscious females are attracted by the drug's
appetite-suppressant qualities. University students are enticed by
crystal meth's ability to keep them awake so they can cram for tests.

At high doses, the drug causes paranoia, bizarre behaviour, agitation,
delusions, violence and self-destructive behaviour.

And the drug's low price means kids with an allowance or part-time job
can buy the drug. Once addiction sets in, they'll start lifting money
from their parent's wallets.

The money grab then moves into the realm of petty crime.

"When you get hooked on a drug, peripheral things escalate," Latham
said. Thefts from vehicles, home break-ins, shoplifting - proceeds
from them all are needed to feed the meth habit.

"Parents need to pay attention to their children," Latham
stressed.

EMCS principal Jeff Hopkins said crystal meth hasn't yet shown up in
the high school but it's just a matter of time.

Hopkins is also on the RCMP's community consultative group and he said
it's important to get the message out. Varied venues and speakers have
the ability to reach different segments of the population, ensuring
the dangers of crystal meth are widely known.

"We have parents asking, 'How would I know my kid is using it?'"
Hopkins said.

The significance of forums like the upcoming event next Wednesday
cannot be underestimated.

But as Latham said, once crystal meth gets its chemical hooks into
someone, it's one of those drugs where a slew of social agencies are
needed to help the frenzied, skin and bones addict and those closest
to them.

"We need help to enforce this," Latham said. "It's not a police
problem, it's a community problem."