CBU STUDENTS CREATE ANTI-METH VIDEO

SYDNEY - A video created by a group of Cape Breton University
students will be used to bring awareness about a dangerous drug to
the local community.

The students have been researching crystal meth for several months
and presented their findings and the final version of an educational
video during the Undergraduate Excellence Symposium at CBU, Saturday.

The video created by first-year students Vanessa Littler, Paul
Jeddore, Annie Francis and Shandra Sylliboy lasts about seven
minutes and includes interviews, facts about the drug, and even
pictures showing what crystal meth can do to one's body.

"They're going to send the video to schools and health centres," said Jeddore.

Francis said it's nice to know their work will be used to educate people.

"I'm just happy that we can do something. It shows we have concern
for our community," she said.

Littler said she thinks it's important to get awareness about the
dangers of crystal meth out to the Cape Breton community now, before
the drug really becomes a problem locally.

"It's not really around here yet but it is in other parts of Canada
and the United States. We don't want it around here," she said.

Crystal meth is a man-made drug which Littler said is highly
addictive, even after trying it just one time.

Professor Diane Ingraham said she learned a lot about the subject
through the work of her students and was blown away by the
information they gathered about crystal meth and its effect on users.

"I had no clue," she said.

Ingraham said anyone interested in seeing the video or showing it to
a group can contact her through CBU's community studies department
or the Eskasoni detachment of the RCMP for more information.

The crystal meth project was one of dozens of science and technology
projects on display Saturday at CBU. The projects covered a wide
range of subjects from lie detectors, to an electronic bird counter,
and even a rocket launcher.