POLICE, MEDICS CATCH UP ON DRUG TRENDS

New Street Chemicals Present Their Own Challenges, Dangers

An expected increase in the use of chemical street drugs once
associated only with all-night dance parties at bars, nightclubs and
private homes means emergency first-responders need to quickly
recognize what drug they are dealing with and how to handle it -- for
their safety and that of the users.

To help them, Ottawa police are hosting a two-day conference called
the National Integrated Training on Chemical Drugs for First
Responders, which wraps up today.

It's a sequel to what began in 2002 in Vancouver, bringing together
representatives of police, ambulance and fire departments from across
Canada, this time including 15 agencies from Vancouver to Montreal.

"It's still marijuana first, cocaine and crack cocaine two, and
pharmaceuticals third," said Staff-Sgt. Marc Pinault, head of
Ottawa's drug unit, on what drug users are taking on area streets.

"But we are trying to prepare for what the trend is and given what is
happening elsewhere, we will have a significant problem with crystal
meth (methamphetamine) if we don't get a jump on it."

"There will not be labs here until we see a lot of abusers. But we
know people are using it and it's just starting here and going to grow."

The idea for the conference came after numerous emergency services
met to discuss regional and provincial trends in chemical drug use,
production and trafficking.

Out of that came a national committee to track and monitor the trends
and search for answers.

The awareness training seminar is designed to increase knowledge of
potential harm and to offer practical information to give first
responders the tools to recognize and avoid the hazards associated
with the drugs and drug production.

The seminar covers such topics as chemical drugs being used on the
street today; trends in the nightclub/dance party/ concert scene;
drug-facilitated sexual assault and clandestine laboratories and hazards.

It is also focusing on law enforcement, paramedic, emergency hospital
staff, and fire and rescue concerns as well as event security and first aid.

"Whether responding to an individual overdosing on chemical drugs,
searching a clandestine lab, or responding to a house fire caused by
an illegal drug producer, the better trained we are the less chance
that we will suffer an injury during the execution of our duties,"
said Staff-Sgt. Pinault. "The seminar is designed to help
first-responders recognize what type of environment they are in ...
that if it's a chemical lab, it's time to get out of there.

"The goal is to develop a plan where everyone knows what their
responsibilities are.

"These training officers will turn around and take what they've
learned back to their respective communities and pass it on. And our
next step will be to take our findings ... to school officials and
social workers."