CRYSTAL METH USE HIKES CRIME, ADDICTION

Victoria city council is calling for swift action to address the growing
problem of crystal meth use in the Capital Region.

Recently, several councillors expressed concern that the speed-like drug is
causing an increase in violent crime and addicting young people at an
alarming rate.

"I really think we are on the brink of an epidemic that's going to have an
impact on our streets, and I don't know that we've got the luxury of time,"
said Coun. Pam Madoff.

She made her comments during Thursday's committee-of-the-whole meeting.

Last week Victoria police Chief Paul Battershill said his department
believes a recent armed robbery spree may have been related to the
increased amount of crystal meth on city streets.

Battershill added that the drug has been moving up the West Coast of North
America over the last couple of years, a comment echoed by Coun. Chris Coleman.

"We shouldn't be surprised by this," Coleman said. "We were given a signal
more than a year ago by the police in Washington State that it was going to
jump the border."

The brewing crystal meth crisis prompted local physician Doug Magee to
produce a 22-minute video on the topic, featuring youths who have had
experience with the drug. Police and elected officials say youths aged
12-18 are the highest risk group.

But Coun. Helen Hughes noted that the cost of the video, produced in
conjunction with the Vancouver Island Health Authority, could be a barrier
to schools interested in educating their students.

"I think $40 is too expensive and I've put in a call to the medical health
officers to see if we can do something about that," Hughes said.

"It would be wonderful if it were in every school and every home video set."

Coun. Denise Savoie urged council to organize meetings with the School
District 61 board and with other community groups. Coun. Charlayne
Thornton-Joe added that last year's local screening of The Fix, a
documentary about the lives of drug addicts on Vancouver's Downtown East
Side, shed plenty of light on the problems in Victoria's downtown core.

According to Const. Brad Fraser, a member of the Victoria police drug
squad, officers have arrested upwards of 20 crystal meth dealers in the
last six months, some of whom were in possession of an ounce (28.35 grams)
or more.

Fraser said an average user might eat, smoke or inject about a gram a day,
with heavy users consuming up to 3 1/2 grams.

Often users will stay awake for days.

"I talked to one guy who told me he'd been awake for 11 straight days,"
Fraser said. "When you're on it, he said all you're interested in doing is
having sex and doing the drug."

Telltale signs that someone is using crystal meth include a strong chemical
smell on the person's breath - sort of like mothballs, Fraser said - burnt
fingertips from holding the hot pipe and erratic sleep patterns.

"You also see them having a real nervous energy, they're always go, go, go
with no sleep," he said.

While the drug is easy to manufacture, crystal meth labs are highly toxic
and explosive.

"It's basically a carcinogenic, toxic soup," he said. "Any house with a
meth lab would need extensive renovations like you've never seen. It
permeates the walls and contaminates everything."