ACTION, NOT WORDS, NEEDED ON METH PROBLEM

Last week's article on crystal meth should serve as a wake-up call to
people using or thinking about experimenting with crystal meth and
ecstasy.

Both these drugs have been around for awhile and though crystal meth
has always been a dirty and dangerous drug, only recently has the
alarm bell been sounded about ecstasy.

Now it appears the dealers, well aware of crystal meth's addictive
qualities, are lacing ecstasy tablets with meth, intending to draw
unsuspecting young people under its spell.

Here on the Island we only have to look at Maple Ridge to see the
destructive effects crystal meth can have on a community. Just a few
years ago the Vancouver suburb had 400 people sleeping rough on its
doorstep, most of them rendered homeless by a powerful addiction to
the drug.

A massive effort to pool that community's resources by and large
solved the problem, and now Maple Ridge is seen as a template for
other communities infected by meth.

By comparison, here in Ladysmith, one can find little evidence of a
problem. There are no junkies, discarded drug paraphernalia, or
homeless people.

But there are troubling clouds on the horizon. The fact one drug house
this summer was busted with enough meth to make 400 doses should send
a shudder through our small town. It only takes one lab and a couple
of dealers for dozens, maybe hundreds, of people to get immediate
access to this drug. And while it's true our teens are not using meth
in large numbers, they are evidently keen to experiment with ecstasy,
often with disastrous results. The number of ecstasy-related overdoses
- - two a week over the past year - is staggering.

Thankfully we are beginning to do something about the problem before
it looms large.

The Nov. 2 meeting was a good start. Certainly more public meetings
should be planned. More than talk, however, we need action.

Police and City Hall should step up enforcement of current laws so
that drug labs and dealers cannot be allowed to set up shop here. If
there are loopholes, the Town should work with police to close them.

Proper drug education is key. The message must be sent to youth that
experimenting with these drugs is dangerous. But the message must be
nuanced to go beyond the "drugs are bad" line coming from an authority
figure. Get someone close to their age to visit schools and tell them
what it's like to live as a meth addict. Give them good information
about what is in crystal meth and ecstasy and then let them make up
their own minds if it's worth the risk.

Look at developing more activities for youth in Ladysmith. Drugs are
an easy escape for kids who are bored. Give them the tools to do
something fun and productive with their free time.

Provide treatment options for those who have made poor choices and
need help getting set on a better path in life. We can build on
Ladysmith's reputation as a caring community. The province and the
federal government may be able to help. Undoubtedly we will need more
resources. See what's out there.

If we attack crystal meth on all these fronts, it becomes a much less
threatening problem, one that can be easily managed. Let's begin by
taking ownership of this issue, as a community, then move forward with
solutions.