QUALICUM BEACH SET FOR DRUG FREE DESIGNATION

Kwalikum Secondary School, the Town of Qualicum Beach and Oceanside RCMP
have a message for drug users and dealers around local schools -- Get lost.

The three groups have banded together to implement a strategy simply called
a "drug free zone."

Though the plan is to have the zones in place before the end of the school
year, the group is still looking for public input. To that end, there will
be a public meeting May 28 at 7 p.m. in the multi-purpose room at Kwalikum
Secondary.

Like it sounds, the zone establishes a boundary -- in this case 500 metres
around both KSS and Qualicum Beach Elementary -- where there is a zero
tolerance policy for all drugs, including alcohol and marijuana.

Jeff Taylor, vice principal at KSS, says the goal is to make the schools a
safe place for all students so "you're not going to have to walk through
someone else's cloud to get to school."

He says that while drug use at the high school is not really growing, the
users are getting younger and "more cavalier about it." The zones are
created under a section of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Bill
C-454 amended the CDSA to make it an indictable offence (subject to trial)
to traffic within 500 metres of elementary and secondary schools.

"We're not doing it because we're allowed to do it, we're doing it because
we think it will help," said Taylor.

Because both schools will have a zone, virtually the entire downtown core
will be covered.

"I think we need to lay down the law and say that it is not acceptable,"
said Mayor Teunis Westbroek. "I want to throw the book at these guys who
are dealing drugs to our children."

But the zones won't just target dealers. Students and others using drugs
within the zone will face increased scrutiny. In fact, says Cpl. Garry Cox
of the Oceanside detachment, every incident will be dealt with by police.

"Trafficking within the zone goes directly into the court system, even if
it's a first offence," said Cox, who admits it will create some extra work
for the detachment.

Students will also be dealt with harshly by the school district. By board
policy, any student caught with a controlled substance faces a five day
suspension for first offence and compulsory drug and alcohol counselling. A
second offense is a 20 day suspension, a third six months or the remainder
of the school year, whichever is longer.

Call 752-5651 for more information on the meeting.