Marijuana and cocaine continue to be the most widely used drugs in Jasper, according to the RCMP.
Members from the detachment made the comments during a presentation to parents about drugs and organized crime at the Jasper Junior/Senior High School Feb. 16.
“The most common drug is marijuana and there’s been a lot of cocaine,” said Const. Tracy Young, the detachment’s high school liaison.
“Basically you can get whatever you want in Jasper,” said RCMP Const. Scott Kirychuk, who was also in attendance for the presentation.
Young declined to definitively say whether drugs are being bought and sold in the high school, but acknowledged it’s a possibility.
“There’s been nothing specifically talked about that I’m aware of, but being new to this role I don’t doubt it,” said Young, who started as the high school liaison a few weeks ago.
“We’ve heard about it, but it’s difficult to prove,” said Const. Kirychuk.
When asked whether the police would consider using dogs to search for drugs at the school, Sgt. Rick Bidaisse described it as a “sensitive issue.”
“Myself and the faculty head will have a discussion and talk about it,” said Bidaisse, stressing it’s important to respect young people’s rights.
Eric Bouchard, the school’s vice-principal, acknowledged some students are experimenting with drugs and alcohol, but said he didn’t think it was a major issue at the school.
“I don’t see a huge problem, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t one,” said Bouchard.
“Mark [Crozier] and I have had a couple of pretty good discussions at our parent advisory council meetings about dogs and about keeping drugs out of the school,” he said, referring to the school’s principal.
“We’ll be working very closely with the RCMP on finding solutions.”
He told the audience that the school’s main role is to educate students about the dangers associated with drugs and alcohol.
“Our role here isn’t to put kids in jail, that’s not what we’re about, but we also have to take care of all the other students in the school,” said Bouchard.
He said they’ve already had at least one instance this year where a student was clearly under the influence of something resulting in an automatic five-day suspension.
“We don’t call the RCMP, but the parents must come in,” he said, adding students aren’t released until their parents pick them up.
On a more positive note, Sgt. Bidaisse said as far as he is aware the RCMP hasn’t confiscated any fentanyl in Jasper, a highly toxic drug that is having a devastating impact on communities in Alberta and across Canada.
In 2015, there were 272 deaths involving fentanyl overdoses in Alberta, up from 120 in 2014, according to Alberta Health Services.
“Fentanyl is the next danger that is lurking in the streets,” Bidaisse told the audience.
“I’ve attended four death scenes since Fentanyl started showing its ugly head.”
He said fentanyl usually comes in a green pill and is often manufactured in the developing world.
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug that is primarily used as a pain killer, however reports suggest that illicit fentanyl powder is being mixed with street drugs–such as heroin–or being pressed into pills before being sold on the street disguised as other drugs.
To reduce the number of overdoses the province has begun to provide pharmacies with free naloxone kits to give to opioid users or their families. Naloxone helps to temporarily reverse an overdose of fentanyl or other opioids, allowing a person time to get emergency medical help. The kits can only be provided to someone with a prescription from a doctor or pharmacist.
Rexall pharmacy in Jasper has two kits available and Pharmasave said it expects to receive a kit in the near future.
Paul Clarke [email protected]
