RUSH, HIGH AND CRASH CRYSTAL METH AND CRIME: FHA CRYSTAL METH TASK FORCE:

Symptoms and signs your family member, co-worker or friend could being
using crystal meth:

* Losing a significant amount of weight, especially in a short period of time.

* Talking fast, unusual stamina, staying awake for days.

* Severe mood slumps - users are withdrawn, unhappy and anxious.

* Paranoid behaviour, hearing voices, perceiving non-existent threats from
others.

* Regularly staying at parties and raves until the early morning hours.

Crystal meth is associated with a host of criminal activities, including
theft, assault and the illegal production of the drug.

Some community members believe there has been an increase in petty crime
associated with crystal meth in the region.

A recently released study on auto crime in Surrey found that at least 70
per cent of Surrey auto thieves are chronic methamphetamine users. Police
believe many offenders are replacing cocaine and heroin with meth.

Scott Rintoul works with the RCMP drug awareness section, and has studied
the drug scene in the Lower Mainland for six years.

"We know now methamphetamine is everywhere," said Rintoul, adding it has
gone from being a social drug (used at raves and clubs) to one affecting
the homeless, students and blue collar workers.

Termed the "working man's cocaine," meth is popular with shift workers
because it gives them energy and stamina.

Meanwhile, meth labs are a spin-off problem. Dozens of operations are
busted every year in B.C. Most are in the Lower Mainland, said Rintoul.

Labs can be built and abandoned quickly, and can be assembled in homes,
hotel rooms, garages and even the back seats of cars. A homemade lab can
produce large quantities of the drug in just a few hours.

Because the chemicals used to produce meth are so volatile (including
ammonia, battery acid and paint thinner), crude labs present an increased
risk of fires and explosions.

"Labs put all those close to that residence at risk," said Rintoul. "And it
puts those who live in the residence at risk - especially children."

The FHA has formed a task force concerning crystal meth. The goal is to get
the message out about how to identify meth users and how to help them. The
group will study intervention and treatment programs in other health
authorities and learn from their initiatives.

There are no programs specific to crystal meth in the FHA, although there
are addiction recovery services that help with meth and other addictions.
The task force had its first meeting mid-March - there is no set end date.

Once it has more information the task force will release its findings and
make recommendations to the FHA.