With reports of what has been dubbed a meth crisis over the last few months in Winnipeg, it may seem like Steinbach and area is an exception but many experts would beg to differ.
A spokesperson for Southern Health says hospitals in the Southeast routinely deal with drug-related cases. Dr. Denis Fortier says they don’t see as many overdoses as some larger urban centres, but it is certainly something our hospitals are seeing.
"On average we are probably looking at one to two cases per week. That involves all drug-related incidents so we are not just talking about street drugs, we are also talking about prescription drugs, etc."
He says the drug problem in Steinbach is a very real issue and not something we can ignore.
"We need to continue to work with and alongside people, and also not be afraid of it. We need to acknowledge it exists and then we can tackle it. Harm reduction is one approach and definitely, one to take that can be helpful. Ideally, I would like to see our young people not use anything, but if we can bring them down from cocaine to marijuana, that is already a win."
“Marijuana is the biggest, most of them actually don’t think about it as a drug. I have talked to young people and asked them how they are doing with drugs and they say ‘good I have been clean for three or four days’ and then I ask them when was the last time you did marijuana, ‘oh I did that yesterday’ so it is a different level for them.”
“When you are on the drugs you just want to get everybody on the same level as you.”
Madison Koop, from Steinbach, began experimenting with marijuana at age 15. Five years later, after struggling with a crippling meth addiction, she graduated from the Adult and Teen Challenge program.
She says the drug scene in Steinbach is very real, but you won’t see it unless you are looking for it.
Read more of Madison’s Story: "It's Not Your Child, It's The Drugs That Are Doing That And There's Always Hope"
Koop notes the young people that want drugs have no problem finding drugs and it is a slippery slope.
"I don’t think I was ever offered the stereotypical way, like where teachers or parents tell you, like pulling up in a white van and ‘do you want some candy.’ It is subtle how it happens, you will be at a party and people will pull out a tray of cocaine and offer you a line and it will be so sneaky, it just happens."
Koop says meth is becoming far more prevalent than when she was in high school. She notes when you are on crystal meth it is awful how fast you lose your morals and self-respect.
"When you are on the drugs you just want to get everybody on the same level as you,” says Koop. “Part of my heart knew that I was a pretty scumbag person because of the things I was doing to get the drugs, so I would want other people who are doing okay to come get hooked on meth. It is awful, but that is the drugs numbing your morals to absolutely zero. It is sad but it is happening and it is getting worse and worse."
In a previous story Staff Sergeant Harold Laninga noted that marijuana, crack cocaine, and meth are the three most common drugs in Steinbach and because it is inexpensive, meth is on the rise.
Sun, May 19, 12:00 PM
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