'MAKE PRECURSORS ILLEGAL'-MOUNTIE

Buying the "precursors" to make Crystal Meth is not illegal, nor is
possessing them, but an RCMP constable is still penning a letter to local
businesses warning of big precursor purchases.

"It's not illegal to have all the products, but once you screw around with
them and make meth, then it's illegal," said Const. Helen Meinzinger,
spokesperson for the Fort RCMP detachment.

She hopes writing a letter to local businesses capable of selling the
precursor products will be one way to make store owners, and clerks aware
of what a customer may be up to when buying excess amounts of the products.

Meinzinger brought the letter to the attention of the Fort Saskatchewan
Drug Awareness Steering Committee Wednesday for critique and to ask their
opinions on how to go about sending out the letters.

City coordinator for community development, Gail Steeves said she can
supply RCMP with a list of businesses who have licenses in the Fort.

In the states, businesses are allowed to give out license plate numbers,
and the names of customers whom they may suspect are buying large precursor
products to manufacture meth. "But obviously our laws concerning privacy
are different here," she said. "And whether or not businesses should be
allowed to do that in here, could be overstepping the boundaries-I don't know."

So, for now it's simply a matter of keeping the community awareness at the
forefront of everyone's minds, she said.

"Maybe that's where the Crime Stoppers tips can come into play," she said.

Ultimately it would be good to make some of the precursors like ephedrine,
which is used in cold remedy products, a prescription drug, Meinzinger told
the Fort Record. "Why not make products like Sudafed a behind the counter
drug or make it so a person has to ask a pharmacist for it. When someone
goes in to buy a case of the stuff, a clerk is going to know something odd
is happening."

Solicitor general Heather Forsyth is pushing for a federal change to
precursor control regulations.

The solicitor's spokesperson Terry Jorden said staff is currently analyzing
drug control laws, while looking for "gaps or loopholes" so they can amend
regulations. Meinzinger said putting strict precursor laws in place would
definitely help officers lay charges against individuals who possess large
quantities of all the elements used in making the "highly damaging and
addictive drug" Crystal Meth.

The local detachment reports only one incident last year, where a suspected
meth lab had the precursor ingredients, but no charges were laid because no
product was found.

"Even if it was made a little more difficult to get the ingredients, it may
slow down the production," said Meinzinger.

Precursors include cold remedy or ephedrine products, chemicals and
solvents, plus apparatus material used like propane tanks, coolers, rubber
tubing, and funnels.

Even if a store can't exactly take down a person's name because they think
the individual is buying the excess quantities of the aforementioned
products to make meth, RCMP still encourage anyone to report any type of
related suspicious activity.

"We certainly believe a key element is controlling the precursors," said
Jorden.

RCMP announced in September 2003, a $3.46 million initiative, funding five
full-time officers over five years, to hunt down potential drug labs. The
funding became available this past January.

"They'll hunt down potential drug labs," said Cpl. Wayne Oakes, media
relations for Alberta RCMP headquarters, 'K' Division. "Today it's meth,
but who knows what tomorrow will bring."