Morden, Man. might be a picturesque small prairie city, but like larger urban areas in the province, it too is struggling with a methamphetamines crisis.
That, Morden police chief Brad Neduzak says, has contributed to a spike in motor vehicle thefts and robberies.
鈥淭hat is more due to (a) connection with out meth and substance abuse in the area,鈥� he told CTV News.
Advocates in Manitoba have been pushing for an intergovernmental meth taskforce to identify treatment and prevention strategies. Manitoba鈥檚 health minister has said a provincial response will be coming this fall.
Methamphetamine, which is trafficked from countries such as Mexico, can cost as little as $10 for a dose that can last up to 24 hours. Users are frequently choosing to inject the drug to get a more potent high that can also result in psychosis and violence.
In 2017, one in three homicides in Winnipeg were meth-related, police said at the time. Crime rates have also spiked, specifically when it comes to aggravated assaults and robberies.
Liquor stores in particular have been targeted in the province, with more than half a million dollars鈥� worth of alcohol being stolen in the past year alone.
鈥淲e believe that they鈥檙e selling them online shortly after,鈥� Winnipeg police spokesperson Const. Jay Murray explained in a recent press conference. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e probably consuming some of it, but we believe ultimately they鈥檙e selling this liquor.鈥�
Meth-related hospital visits have also jumped by a staggering 1,200 per cent over the past five years in Manitoba, and meth-fueled violence is being blamed for attacks on both hospital staff and security.
Michelle Gawronsky is the president of the Manitoba Government and General Employees' Union.
鈥淩ecently this summer, the weapons that were used, it鈥檚 not a weapon as we might think of one,鈥� she said regarding attacks on healthcare workers. 鈥淵ou know, it鈥檚 a syringe. It鈥檚 surgical scissors.鈥�
While those dangers have led to a call for more policing and security at places like hospitals, those who work with addicts, like Main Street Project executive director Rick Lees, say efforts also need to be devoted to prevention.
鈥淲hen you talk about putting security in place, while I鈥檓 not saying we shouldn鈥檛 have it, it means we haven鈥檛 addressed the problem of why do we have this meth crisis in the first place,鈥� Lees told CTV News.
With a report from CTV National News Winnipeg Bureau Chief Jill Macyshon
