COP president Rod Kerr spoke about the power of collaboration and how different agencies can work together under the new rural crime pilot project and then opened the information session for talks from Athabasca RCMP Const. Riley Ogilvie and Alberta Health Services addictions counsellors Debbie Hammond and Paul Deveau.
Ogilvie gave an overview of drug usage and lingo before Hammond and Deveau spoke about the challenges their clients face in accessing treatment.
“(Meth users) call the Union ‘Pint Palace’ (pronounced pin-t) because it refers to methamphetamine and a zip is an amount of methamphetamine,” he explained. “So, if you see anybody or hear anybody talking about zips or ‘Hey man, I just picked up three zips,’ they’re talking about lots of methamphetamine.”
Beyond the side effects the addiction will make users do things they wouldn’t normally do like eat or snort their scabs because they contain meth.
“I've also seen it so bad as people in prison, if they just go in and they're sharing a cell with another meth user and they know that they've just taken meth, they'll lick the meth off of the other person that just came. They'll lick the scabs and the sores because it's meth coming out of there if they just used,” Ogilvie explained. “So, it can get pretty disgusting for sure.”
The good news for the community is that Ogilive said meth use in Athabasca has, so far, not involved the youth.
“Usually most of the people that we deal with meth are either the homeless in town or the ones that have committed crimes and if the youth are using it, I'm not aware of it,” he stated.
One of the questions that arose was why the criminals aren’t automatically sent to rehab programs in sentancing. Ogilive explained and added that even if the crime isn’t drug related a probation officer can decide the person needs treatment.
“If the drugs have absolutely nothing to do with the crime itself, the judge can't tell them they have to go to rehab,” Ogilive said. “That's usually something that's done through probation."
Facts:
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Methamphetamine, commonly known as ‘meth’ is a synthetic drug that stimulates the central nervous system.
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In the short-term, users feel excessively alert and energetic.
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When withdrawal sets in, users experience feelings of helplessness, fatigue and an intense craving for another high.
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Users can feel the sensation of bugs crawling under or over their skin (‘meth bugs’) leading to severe skin sores from constant scratching.
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Long-term use can cause psychosis, memory loss, addiction and severe health and dental problems.
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Meth is produced in clandestine labs. The drug may be mixed with ingredients from batteries, cleaning fluids or antifreeze.
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Driving under the influence of meth is a criminal offence.
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In Canada meth is illegal. Possession can result in up to seven years in prison.
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Producing, trafficking, importing or exporting meth can lead to life in prison.
Meth nicknames include:
Speed, crank, crystal, ice, chalk, Christina, Tina, glass, redneck cocaine, getgo, uppers, white cross, rocket fuel, pint and zip.
Overdose signs and symptoms:
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Enlarged pupils
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Stomach pain
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Difficulty breathing
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Irregular heartrate
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Chest pains
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Altered mental status
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High body temperature
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Agitation/paranoia
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Seizures
Information courtesy of the RCMP
Hammond and Deveau then spoke about the importance of de-stigmatizing addiction; if people feel shame, they are less likely to seek help.
“Stigma means having fixed ideas and judgments of people as well as fearing and avoiding what we don't understand,” Deveau explained. “Stigmas attached to mental health and addictions problems presents serious barriers to assessment, diagnosis, diagnosis, treatment and supports needed for recovery as well as acceptance in the community.
“Stigma results in the exclusion of people with mental health and addiction problems from activities that are often open to other people such as getting a job, financing a place to live, participating in social activities and having relationships.”
Another part of the stigma is that the addict will be violent.
“Sometimes people who are using substances can be more likely to be victims of violence than actually being violent themselves.” Hammond said. “I've worked with a number of people that have been using substances; they've been in the wrong place at the wrong time with the wrong people and have ended up with brain injuries.”
One of the biggest challenges Addiction Services is facing in Athabasca is lack of transportation for clients. When the office was across from the Family Health Centre on 52 Street there were more walk-in clients but since the office was moved up the East Hill to 34 Street the number has dropped.
“Transportation is a big (issue), telephone is another one,” Deveau said. “But transportation is by far the biggest. They have to go up that nice hill up here, especially that last point, I call that Heart Attack Hill. There’s a bench at the bottom and a bench at the top for a reason.”
Addiction Services is free even for non-Albertans, but treatment isn’t. There is also a wait list to get into the few treatment centres in Alberta.
“Our services are free. We haven't turned away anyone that is considered out-of-province in terms of their residency,” Deveau explained. “The only stipulation is if that person is wanting to go into a residential treatment program, and we're referring them into a program in Alberta, the cost isn't $40 per day for that person, it's actually $120 dollars per day.”
Both law enforcement and Addiction Services will be working collaboratively with the new rural crime pilot project.
If you or someone you know needs addictions counselling you can call the 24-hour Addiction Helpline at 1-866-332-2322.
Athabasca by the numbers:
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166 clients accessed Addiction Services Athabasca between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019.
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64 per cent identified as male.
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36 per cent identified as female.
Reasons they sought treatment (some clients may have more than one addiction):
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42 per cent alcohol
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23 per cent tobacco
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19 per cent meth
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11 per cent cocaine
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6 per cent cannabis
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5 per cent opiates
Alberta by the numbers:
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53,690 clients accessed Addiction Services provincially between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2019
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52 per cent identified as male.
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48 per cent identified as female.
Approximately 1 per cent of the population of Alberta sought addiction councelling in 2019.
Reasons they sought treatment (some clients may have more than one addiction):
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79 per cent alcohol
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65 per cent tobacco
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55 per cent cannabis
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35 per cent cocaine
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32 per cent opiates
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26 per cent meth
Information courtesy of Alberta Health Services
