In spite of growing public awareness of the opiod crisis, Virden's new RCMP Staff Sargeant says the biggest problem drug is still alcohol.
Sgt. Joe Frizzley sat down with the Virden Empire Advance last week to talk about hard drugs in the area, the legalization of marijuana, and his best advice for concerned parents.
Hard drugs
"Alcohol is still more prevalent than hard drugs. There have been a few incidents of meth and cocaine use and dealing in this area.
"We (RCMP) pay close attention because it's highly addictive and creates a lot of social problems like property crime and a drain on EMS.
"But I don't think there should be panic that crystal meth is out of control. It's here, but not in a heavy way. No more or less than other parts of the province.
"We haven't had to deal much with fentanyl here, we've been lucky. Our officers are carrying naloxone (the fentanyl antidote) on their belts. There haven't been any charges here for fentanyl and I hope we don't see it, because it's one of the more dangerous drugs.”
Legal pot
“So far, the government hasn’t set a legal limit of THC (the main psychoactive chemical in pot) in a user's system that determines impairment.
“At this point, impaired driving is the only charge we can lay because it’s based on physical observations like the smell of pot, red eyes, difficulty answering questions, trouble focusing, and slow motor skills. We have a program that teaches officers how to identify what drug they’re dealing with based on symptoms.
"I think we’ll see more pot usage when it’s legal. It will be a challenge for us but only because of the increased paperwork. All the legalities will be new.
“I'm sure the government will push back the date of July 1, but we're trying to make sure we're ready.”
Advice for concerned parents
"As a parent, I suggest keeping an eye on your kids if you’re worried about drug use.
“Communicate with them. Be involved and ask questions. Know your child and pay attention to any changes, anything that seems off with their attitude or work ethic.
“My oldest is eight and that's what I'm going to do.”
