Guelph Police and other agencies on the front line of the city's drug issues are reaching out to retailers in an attempt to help battle the increasing crystal methamphetamine problem.
Part of a new initiative called Meth Watch, primarily pharmacies and hardware stores are being asked to be on the lookout for suspicious patterns or behaviour from customers who are buying the over-the-counter ingredients used to make the drug.
They want stores to report that behaviour and police will follow up.
"Crystal meth is a challenge in our community ... we cannot arrest our way out of this issue," Guelph Police chief Jeff DeRuyter said Wednesday at a press conference at the Community Health Clinic announcing the program.
"We've looked at different ways of tackling this issue, through treatment, through awareness, through education: This is just one other piece of the prevention puzzle. If we can prevent those with addictions from getting those materials and producing their own, it puts us one step further."
Highly addictive, crystal meth has blossomed in popularity because it's cheap, provides an immediate intense high that lasts a long time and can be made relatively simply with common household ingredients.
A quick Google search proves just how easy.
"It's not entirely surprising that it's become an issue here," DeRuyter said.
"The Internet is a wonderful resource we have. But it also has a dark side or certainly an opportunity to learn how to feed those addictions."
Guelph Police inspector Garry Male said crystal meth is increasing in popularity for obvious reasons.
"Part of the issue is its highly-addictive nature. People that dabble in it can become addicted and the high itself, comparatively speaking ... is fairly cheap," Male said.
And anytime something becomes popular, there are those looking to cash in.
"There are people out there looking to capitalize on people's addictions. It is definitely moving through our community."
Meth Watch, which is funded through a $100,000 grant from the provincial government's Proceeds Of Crime fund, will also post information and education posted to offer options for those dealing with meth addiction.
Adrienne Crowder, manager of the Wellington Guelph Drug Strategy, said the drug is increasing in popularity in part because the high from crystal meth is intense, immediate and lasts a long time.
She said the high from crystal meth is six times as intense as the euphoria from an orgasm.
"We're inviting retailers to be mindful around what we call suspicious sales of what could be the raw ingredients of making meth," Crowder said.
"Meth is something you can go online and find out how you make it. It is possible to make a home brew version of meth and we're trying to alert community partners as to what a suspicious sale of those raw ingredients are," Crowder said.
Stonehenge Therapeutic Services and the chamber of commerce are also involved in Meth Watch.
"In addition to asking retailers to watch for suspicious sales, we're also asking them to be a part in helping people that might have a problem," Crowder said.
Part of Meth Watch that started in October has been having an addictions support worker available in bail court to offer help to anyone making a drug-related court appearance.
"Between October and December we had 36 clients come through that program," Crowder said. "Half of them had had no contact with addiction and social services before."
Meth-related training videos for those on the front lines of battling the meth problem are also being created through the program.
Meth Watch is funded through the end of May.
