Setting up a special drug court is one of the ideas being considered by the Grey Bruce crystal meth task force, said Terry Sanderson, Bruce County's director of social services.
Sanderson told Bruce County councillors on Thursday that Grey County's Crown attorney, who is also a member of the task force, is interested in setting up a separate court to deal with criminal charges related to drug use in a bid to intervene early and begin the process of rehabilitation.
"It would deal with people who are drug users, especially when they are incarcerated — catching them at the right time and trying to acquaint them with the implications and trying to get treatment options," Sanderson said.
The plan would also include a one-year pilot project using a couple of court workers trained to deal with addictions to work with crystal meth users once they enter the court system.
"If you are convicted with a criminal offence, which includes drug use, we could put you in touch with a worker who would talk to you about treatment options, resources available in the community and find some answers and point you in the right direction," said Sanderson.
The task force also plans to initiate a crystal meth watch, asking local businesses to safeguard or control access to ingredients used in the manufacture of crystal meth.
Education options are being considered to help parents make their children more aware of the presence of crystal meth in the community and the potentially devastating effects it can have on their lives.
There is also a contest on among local schools to design a logo for the crystal meth task force.
"This is so we have something concrete we can point to as a focal point of recognition for the task force," Sanderson said.
The task force has undertaken a survey to determine the extent of the problem, in particular how many crystal meth users there are. It's a key piece of information needed when approaching the provincial government for funding.
"The survey will go to various agencies who work with drug users and approach their clients to fill out the survey and try to get some information. We're hoping to get as many as 3,000 surveys completed which will give us something concrete to work with," Sanderson said.
