HomeMy WebLinkAboutLucknow Sentinel, 2009-04-08, Page 8•
Page 8 - Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Photo by A Joanne Osborne
The cast and stage band of One Child Soldier received a standing ovation. Swell
Productions presented the play, One Child Soldier, the story of how a family was affect-
ed
ected after an under.,aged man enlisted and served in the Second . World War; at the
Teeswater Town Hall, last Saturday afternoon and evening.
Crystal meth, a
BY PAT HALPIN
Special to the
Sentinel .
Social agencies
and municipal
politicians got a
look at the disturb-
ing facts around
crystal meth Friday
as a Grey Bruce
coalition made a
'pitch for help bat-
tling the problem.
Crystal meth use
in Bruce and Grey
is growing faster
than the provincial
average, according
to a report by
Glenda Clarke and
Associates.
Health Canada's
most recent figures
-- from 2004 put
meth use at 9.8 per
cent of adults sur-
veyed, while a
2007 Ontario
Student Drug and
Health survey
shows 1.4 percent
of students used
meth that year.
stal meth may
not be in wide-
spread use for the
general population,
according to a
report from the
Centre for
Addictions and
Mental Health, but
meth use is on the
rise among street
youth.
Parents of users
and users who
spoke at Friday's
forum made it clear
that on the street is
where crystal meth
puts its victims.
"This drug
addiction is noth-
ing short of a
nightmare," said a
CLINTONGODERICH-F 9z
Ph. 519624-8174 Fax: 51945242811
'AmOitpetenighettedondon.on.caWI : www,stpetersg(xtelich.dionet/
Vis a tacorning family of faith, we are wiled by arist through pr
to share the gifts of who w are and what t have in loving service to
t. * ri
J� nner f► a 5: l "to
Y
•
parent identified as
Mary.
"Crystal meth is
not even a drug in
my eyes, it is a poi-
son, my daughter is
poisoning herself,
and we are watch-
ing a beautiful
teenager turn into a
devil before us."
A user identified
as Bill said when
he was 20 a friend
gave. him crystal
meth.
"Eventually it
caused all kinds of
problems like
anger. I freaked out
easily and had
financial troubles.
Everything was
affected. I couldn't
hold a job. I had
maybe 12.15 jobs
over that time,"
Bill said:
The poignant
stories and consul-
tant's report are
part of developing
a comprehensive
response to crystal
meth and getting
the support of the
province and Bruce
and Grey counties,
said Bruce county
social services
director Terry
Sanderson.
Social services,
probation,
children's Aid and
the Health Unit
were among those
at Friday's meet-
"Name the
agency and they
were there,"
Sanderson said.
The range of
services indicates
the wide -spread
impact of the drug.
problem
While far less com-
*non than alcohol
addictions that are
the mainstream
problem in Grey
and Bruce,
Sanderson said
meth is an addic-
tive, aggressive
drug that can lead
to property crimes
and violence.
Crystal meth is
similar to the speed
that killed and
damaged users in
the 1970s. Experts
can't explain _ why
its use is rising
among teen girls
and men in their
20s, but suggest
the strong, long-
lasting high and
relatively cheap
cost are factors,
The ; report
chronicles the dev-
astating impact on
the : user's health,
from ' extreme
weight loss to tooth
decay. It cites con-
cern about a grow-
ing number of
meth parents who
neglect their chil-
dren, and about the
danger posed by
explosive and toxic
meth Iabs in
homes.
Long-term cog-
nitive damage
leaves users unable
to cope successful-
ly with life. That
hurts families and
neighbourhoods,
puts the user in
repeated conflict
with finances and
the law, and creates
what the report
calls a 'slow bleed'
of scarce resources
as social services,
in area
Children's Aid,
hospitals, police
and mental health
agencies deal with
meth users.
The coalition is
asking for provin-
cial money for a
task force that will
bump up law
enforcement, harm
reduction, educa-
tion and treatment
options.
In the meantime
the coalition can
pool existing
resources, said
Medical Officer of
Health Dr. Hazel
,Lynn.
I think . we do
have enough
momentum with
the different organ-
izations that eve,'"
though none of us
have - a : huge
amount of money
if you put it all
together there's
probably enough to
get a task force
going," she • said.
One mother
identified as Mary
said parents have
been waiting . years
for crystal meth to
get attention.
Parents rank
tougher sentences
for repeat offend-
ers at the top of
their wish list of
solutions.
"They're infect-
ing our kids,"
Mary said about
repeat users and
dealers who are
quickly back on the
streets atter` getting
fines and condi-
tional sentences.
Continued on page
rte}:r
11
you 11a't'•c ciil eh% t ric'itt` gtrztling fridge theft's fifteen years olid or more, yrni
Can ('t 11(1 (V 11 Ow ('i1 t Yt (ll% /list 11l(lke X111 appointment with us. We'll c onw
into tout' home, take it away 101 , f l ce"ana t c'(_:vcic tt in till cin 1 ito11 ine1l (Hill'
f i 1C11(ilt 1710171701. =htl'll 501V V beili'ecll 5120-5150 per yea, in elec it feat.
f• nok online today at cve1•'ttk t oti a t t co tm l s. ca nll mill l 877- 7 .97-
•
.