DRUGS AND CHOICES

A year ago, a local drug dealer got more jail time than he bargained for
after he sold ecstasy twice to an undercover cop in the downtown nightclub
Euphoria.

Judge Jim Mitchell said ecstasy dealers prey mainly on young adults who are
the most vulnerable in the adult population.

He ignored previous sentences of 30-90 days and decided to give the dealer
10 months in jail to send the message that ecstasy dealers were going to be
dealt with more severely than in the past.

The message hasn't made any difference to drug dealers or the young people
who buy ecstasy.

The death of a young woman last Saturday underlines that.

Sonya Weeks, just 19 years old, died after she took two ecstasy pills.
That's some name for an illegal drug that kills people. The autopsy results
will shed light on what ultimately killed Sonya. Her friends told police
the ecstasy Sonya took was bought at Euphoria.

Shortly after she took the drug she became ill, complaining of stomach
problems, and within hours she was dead.

Previous studies on ecstasy deaths show that the designer drug -- that has
killed about two dozen young people across the country -- can cause liver
failure, heart failure or fatal brain problems.

More often than not, ecstasy is cut with other substances, such as rat
poison or another street drug.

Sonya came to Red Deer a year ago from Castor after she finished high
school. She found a full-time job, working as a caregiver for the disabled.

Her friends say she was a good and caring person.

It's doubtful she had any intention of dying when she took ecstasy -- she
was just out for a good time.

It was far from a fun time. Just ask her parents, two sisters, brother,
grandparents, and friends. They learned of her death on Father's Day.

Her 29-year-old brother described her as a very young and very intelligent
girl who made a bad choice.

Often young people are forgiven their dangerous behaviours in that they get
through this part of life unscathed. Sonya was not one of those people.

Her brother wants to see police come down on drug dealers and the nightclub.

Euphoria is no more liable for Sonya's death than any other nightclub or
bar in this city where drugs are sold.

But a review is in order of Euphoria's licensing, and what procedures it
takes to try and prevent illegal activities in the dance club.

Police and the criminal justice system have been unable to stop, or even
slow down, the illegal drug trade in Red Deer.

The only people who can really do that are the people who buy these drugs.

The night Sonya was at Euphoria, it so happens that Club Safe was also
there. The group of volunteers offers free information about street drugs
and safe sex.

I hope Club Safe is not disheartened. I hope they are more eager than ever
to go back to Euphoria and dispense information.

In light of Sonya's death, there may be a few more young people willing to
educate themselves about the dangers of street drugs.

Young people -- for the sake of yourselves, and the families and friends
that love you -- if you're going to do drugs, at least be fully aware of
the risks you take.

If you're not sure what the risk is, think about Sonya Weeks, what she left
behind, and what will never be.