The recent rash of illegal drug overdose deaths in Alberta highlights a complex and multi-faceted problem facing communities of all sizes, including those right here in West Central Alberta.
In particular, the increased prevalence of drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy has created new medical dangers, added to the workload of hard-pressed police, and put bystanders of all ages at increased risk.
And while the fight against illegal drugs has been ongoing in Alberta for many years, the rise of chemical drugs has given rise to yet another front in the already hard-fought drug war.
One of the principal problems facing law enforcement in the current drug fight is that illegal drugs such as methamphetamine and ecstasy, unlike heroin and cocaine, can be manufactured right here in Alberta.
The proliferation of drug manufacturing labs ñ as well as marijuana grow operations ñ in cities, towns and on rural properties allows drugs to enter the marketplace quickly and for organized crime to infiltrate communities that were previously largely untouched by the illegal drug trade.
In an ongoing effort to identify those drug labs and operations and to shut them down before they can pump more of their product onto the streets, police are relying more and more on public tips.
Specifically, police are asking residents to report signs of drug manufacturing. Those signs can include the following:
ï Little or no sign of residents at the home, especially outside.
ï A lot of activity and many vehicles coming and going at all hours.
ï Windows boarded up or covered over, frequently with aluminum foil.
ï Excessive visits to garages or other buildings on the property.
ï Excessive amounts of trash on garbage day or little or no trash on garbage day.
And for anyone who thinks drug manufacturing is only a big-city crime, the recent raids on large-scale marijuana operations in West Central Alberta should be enough to make them think twice.
In some United States towns, illegal drugs have become so prevalent that normal community life has been irrevocably damaged, creating fear and hardship where it never existed before.
The last thing law-abiding Albertans want is for illegal drugs, and the organized criminals who control them, to get the upper hand in their communities.
As such residents of area towns, villages and rural areas are encouraged to help police by providing tips about illegal drug activities and manufacturing.
In that way the recent rash of illegal drug overdoses that have shocked and saddened many families will be an aberration ñ and not a new way of life.
