METH ON THE RISE

Alta. Has Most Lab Busts -- Cops

RCMP say they've uncovered more meth labs in Alberta than in any other
province last year - and a glance south of the border suggests the problem
is about to get much worse.

A methamphetamine epidemic has swept the U.S. from west to east over the
last decade, leaving in its wake public health crises and huge increases in
crime.

RCMP Cpl. Harold Trupish said a similar pattern seems to be emerging in
Canada, which could mean a huge spike in meth use in Alberta isn't about to
subside.

"We don't have any indication that it has peaked here, and looking at the
U.S., I don't think it has," Trupish said.

Trupish said preliminary statistics show there were 14 meth lab busts in
B.C. last year, 11 in Alberta, four each in Ontario and Quebec and one in
Manitoba. But he said B.C.'s figures also include other forms of
amphetamines, so Alberta almost certainly had the most meth lab busts in
Canada.

Alberta RCMP files for meth possession have also exploded, from 21 in 1998
to 123 last year, 107 of which were in the north of the province.

But in Spokane, Washington - a city with a population of about 450,000 - a
huge increase in meth use that started in 1992 is only now showing signs of
slowing down. Meth arrests there totalled just three in 1992, but last year
there were 443.

"Meth went from nothing to being the leading drug," said Spokane police
department spokesman Richard Cottam. "People hadn't heard of it and then it
became just endemic to the whole criminal system. We find meth labs every
week. But 70% of the drug is estimated to come from Mexico, so we are not
making much of a dent on that when we are hitting labs."

Spokane Mayor John Powers said an explosion in meth use has had a "severe"
effect on families and communities in the city and surrounding areas.

"This is an acute addiction and drug problem that runs the gamut as far as
who it impacts - a lot of young children and families have been affected,"
he said. "There are people involved in it that aren't your typical young,
single drug abuser, drug addict.

"It's really swept into all corners of our community and the collateral
fallout is (increasing) crime. It's been a growing problem for 10 years."