CRACK USE SEEN AMONG TEENS

Youths have been discovered in Prince George crack houses during
police raids, but the numbers don't constitute an alarming trend, RCMP
say.

Const. Mike Caira said investigators have come across teenagers in
drug houses "occasionally," adding he's not sure how young they are.
"But there's absolutely no connection or proof they're using," he said.

However, he acknowledges police would actually have to catch them in
the act to prove that, and drug raids target dealers, not users.

"When we're going in to take down a crack house, that's for
trafficking. We seize the drugs and cash," he said.

Linda Keefe, who heads the AIDS prevention and needle exchange
program, said the group has been hearing about a growing number of
teenagers, as young as 12 and 13, who are smoking crack cocaine.
"We've been hearing all this year that young teens are involved in
crack houses. Because they're not needle-users we wouldn't necessarily
see them," she said.

To try to prevent the spread of hepatitis C, which is common among
intravenous drug users, the program started handing out clean crack
pipes last week. The move is part of its strategy to reduce harm to
drug addicts.

"I don't think the community realizes how young these kids are," Keefe
said. In recent years, she said, there's been a shift among youths
from intravenous drugs to crack and crystal meth.

Marijuana advocate Neil Hagreen, owner of Growlies pizza and hemp
store on Third Avenue, said he supports the harm-reduction theory but
is opposed to the way the project is being carried out. Just one day
after the needle exchange started giving out pipes, he said he spoke
with a 15-year-old boy who obtained a pipe from the clinic and was
using it to smoke pot. "They need to look into it more, ask more
questions" to determine what kids are using the pipes for, Hagreen
said. "I don't even sell (merchandise) to anyone under 17," he added.

Hagreen said he also disagrees with a pamphlet he picked up at the
needle exchange, which includes a crack cocaine price guide.

Keefe of the needle exchange agreed the pamphlet, which was supplied
by another community, is not appropriate and there are plans to
develop another information brochure. Users who are given pipes are
told how to use the equipment safely, she said. The contact is also a
way to build relationships with drug addicts, Keefe said, which could
open doors to treatment and other assistance.