POLICE FEAR INFLUX OF SWEET-TASTING METH

Chocolate And Strawberry-Flavoured Drug Found In U.S.

CITY police fear it's only a matter of time before chocolate- and
strawberry-flavoured methamphetamine hits city streets.

Similar warnings have been made by law enforcement officials
throughout the United States as the always-changing illegal drug
market appears to be now targeting young kids.

Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Jacqueline Chaput said local drug
investigators attended a recent conference in the U.S. where the
flavoured methamphetamine was discussed.

"We haven't seen it in Winnipeg yet," she said. "But like everything,
unfortunately it's only a matter of time before it will make itself up here."

American news reports say the altered drug has appeared in some
western states, including the Twin Cities. Known as "Strawberry
Quick," it resembles the popular Pop Rocks candy. In San Francisco,
police have seen cases in which chocolate-flavoured meth is being
sold to children.

Some meth cookers are also using peanut butter and popcorn flavouring
to spice up their potent concoctions.

In response, American lawmakers have sponsored the Saving Kids from
Dangerous Drugs Act to combat such street drugs aimed at kids. If
passed, the act would increase federal criminal penalties for drug
dealers who woo children with candy-flavoured methamphetamine.

U.S. law enforcement is also doing more public education aimed at
students as young as fifth graders.

Police also say the flavoured meth is just as pure and just as
dangerous as the normally bitter tasting narcotic, which is snorted,
smoked or injected.

Most methamphetamine being sold in the U.S. is now made in Mexico as
the U.S. and Canada have introduced restrictions on the sale of the
drug's main ingredients, like ephedrine.

Those controls have meant there is less domestic production of meth
resulting is less drug use. Officials believe drug pushers are now
flavouring batches of meth to boost those slagging sales.

The other new drug on the horizon is called "cheese", but it has
nothing to do with cows or goats.

It's a mix of acetaminophen and diphenhydramine HCL -- the
ingredients in Tylenol PM -- with a small amount of heroin. It sells
by the quarter-gram for a couple of dollars. Many users are young
teenagers as it's so affordable.

Chaput said police have not seen "cheese" in Winnipeg.