Wednesday, March 2018 Wednesday, May 21, 9, 2018
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Volume58 58••Issue Issue 19 12 Volume
Cheap powerful,team Senior girls'and basketball meth is flooding Manitoba market Manitoba's best once again
BY BY IAN IANGRAHAM GRAHAM
EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET
McDONALD’S CONSTRUCTION STARTS WEEK STUDENTSNEXT MARCHING NEWS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE NEWS -PAGE PAGE 22
PATROLLING RDPC’S HALLS
NEWS SEXUAL ASSAULT'S PAGE 5 EFFECTS REMAIN AFTER 40 YEARS NEWS - PAGE 3
BOYS DOUBLES TEAM FOURTH AT BADMINTON PROVINCIALS SPORTS PAGE 8 SCHOOL BOARD REJECTS TRIMMING TRUSTEE NUMBERS NEWS - PAGE 7
Methamphetamines’ curIt took a couple of close rent low cost and powerful games a bit of effects and are even a dangerous overtime magic,Dr. butSheri R.D. combination, Parker senior FandreyCollegiate's of the Addictions girls' basketball team beat Foundation of Manitoba (AFM) told attendees at a all challengers at the AAA public information session high school provincials in in Thompson May15-17 3. Winnipeg March to “Right claim thenow titlethe asdrug the that top is coming into Manitoba is team in Manitoba for the very, very high purity,” said third timethe inAFM’s the past four Fandrey, knowyears. ledge exchange lead. “The beat into the iceThe formTrojans that’s coming University of Winnipeg Manitoba is often more than 90 per cent Wesmen pure. Even58-50 when Collegiate it’s been cut on it’sSt. stillPatrick's a really in overtime powerful drug.” Day to claim the provinAbout 80 per centThe of cial championship. methamphetamines being teams were close through used in the province right most of produced the game,bytied at now are Mexthe of and themake first their and ican end cartels second quarters and RDPC way north into Canada via behind by two to start the the United States, Fandrey said, with the remaining 20 fourth, though they were per cent east down bycoming as many as from nine British Columbia. points in the third quarter. “It’s a lot harder conThe Trojans tied thetoscore trol the supply when it’s 44-44 with about four flooding into the market,” minutes she said. left and then built upAnd a fiwhile ve-point lead, that but literature the back saysWesmen the drug battled – a cousin of to tie the game send amphetamines andand MDMA/ Ecstasy – can beThe instantly it to overtime. team addictive, that didn't let Fandrey the latesays comeisn’t necessarily the case, back by their opponents though its powerful impact affect them though, and on dopamine, a chemical in outscored the Wesmen human brains that triggers 9-1 in overtime to claim feelings or pleasure and the championship reward, makes the title. high it "It was tied for most delivers attractive. of “The the game," said coach first time is so persuasive that "We you try it Christine Sim. were adown second fortime,” most Fandrey of the said. notwe addicted game“You’re but then came the first time but are back usually andboy, always you attracted to the second, tied it by the end of the third and fourth times.”
binge users may take the men and women into the sex drugs for days, a week, or trade and a high proportion sometimes even two, before of meth users suffered some crashing and sleeping for sort of trauma prior to their days afterwards. addiction, with Fandrey sayIt is one of the four drugs ing that 80 per cent of fethat actually kill brain cells male users have experienced – a group that also includes past or ongoing trauma. inhalants and solvents as The number of adults well as alcohol – though the treated by AFM who have damage meth does is not as used meth within the year severe as what alcohol can prior to seeking treatment do to long-term alcoholics. for any type of addiction Methamphetamines kick tripled from about 400 in start the body’s metabolism, 2011 to more than 1,500 in to the point of causing over- 2017, while the number of heating as your body cooks the organization’s youth cliitself from the inside. Heavy ents who have used meth in users may scratch their skin the previous year has nearoff because the drug can ly doubled from about nine make them hallucinate in- per cent a few years ago to sects crawling under their 17 per cent last year. It is skin. also contributing to deaths “People will claw down of Manitobans at a higher Thompson Citizen photo by Ian Graham to the bone trying to find the rate now than in the past, in Dr. Sheri Fandrey of the Addictions Foundation of Manitoba bugs,” Fandrey says. part because it is sometimes speaks at a public information session about methamphetaThe combination of mixed with fentanyl, which mines in Thompson May 3. reduced blood flow, dry can be especially deadly for Methamphetamines are a a person’s baseline dopa- mouth, teeth-grinding and people who haven’t used stimulant, a class of drugs mine level by 50 per cent, cravings for sugary food opioids before. Though methamphetathat also includes caffeine while having sex increases that meth addicts experiand nicotine and one that about 100 per cent. Smok- ence is very harmful to mine use is a serious probmakes people feel ener- ing a cigarette increases a oral health, a condition lem, Fandrey says there is gized, alert and functional. smoker’s dopamine level often called “meth mouth.” hope for addicts once they “We like that feeling,” about 150 per cent, while Because users are often get through withdrawal, she said. drugs like morphine and dehydrated, methampheta- though many hit a wall On the bright side, how- cocaine boost it by 250 and mines also have a noticeable around three months beever, meth is not yet wide- 300 per cent, respectively. effect on their skin that can cause the lack of dopamine spread among the general The bump that comes from make them look much older stimulation makes life seem colourless and dull. Withpopulation, but it is very doing meth, especially if than they are. “It’s really devastating drawal can’t kill a recoverprevalent among street-in- is smoked or injected, the volved people, including latter being the most com- just how meth ages you,” ing addict, but the suicidal thoughts accompanying it those who are homeless or mon delivery method these Fandrey said. The AFM estimates that can and anti-depressants involved in the sex trade, days, is a whopping 1,100 the number of users among may not work for meth-reand also among youth in per cent. Child and Family Services “It’s so far outside the the general population of lated depression, through care. bounds of what we can Manitoba is no more than physical exercise and cog“For somebody who feels really understand,” she said. three per cent, but that more nitive behavioural therapy street-involved can courtesy help. of RDPC Athletics powerless and disconnectThe dangerous effects than half of Thompson Citizen photo people may use it because “A large part of the work ed, this drug offers a lot,” of methamphetamines are R.D. Parker Collegiate's senior girls' basketball team poses with their provincial championship banner and trophy after it is so cheap and helps to for [drug addiction] counFandrey says. proportional to the high it beating the University of Winnipeg Collegiate Wesmen 58-50 in overtime to claim the school's third senior girls’ basketball As a point of comparison, delivers, which will never keep them alert to potential- sellors is holding hope for championship in four years March 17. eating a cheeseburger when be as good as it was the first ly dangerous situations. The people who are hopeless,” drug games, is used to draw Fandrey says. you hungry boost time, andsaid high-intensity and best Sim, adding that for young sure," out." teamarelast year,can said it other,"
quarter. Then we went helped to have players into overtime for five minwho had been to this utes and buckled down." stage before. RDPC had never won a "I took four of the Grade senior provincial basket10s for that reason too beball title until 2105 when cause they've been there, they finally both claimed the three boys, fled on foot after and Spence, 11, were BY IAN GRAHAM they understand what crown when after having losthit in the collision before turning killed they were EDITOR@THOMPSONCITIZEN.NET they have to do," she said. theafivehicle nals thedriven two previby an himself RCMP about Nisichawayasihk Cree Na- by "They'reinalltogood players, ous years. They repeated drunk driver along 90 minutes later. CBC retion (NCN) mourned the loss alleged they all know each other, 620 north Nel- ported that he has a previof Mattheo Moore, Terrence Highway as champions in of 2016. played April 28.lost All both three they've ous conviction fortogether, impaired Spence and Keethan Lobster son TheHouse senior girls most of them, fornine a couple were walking or bikdriving. He faces charMay 5-7 with wake services victims their games at provincials of years so they knew along the road at the time ges related to this incident, at the families’ homes and ing last year after most of the each otherthree really well." of they were killed. including charges the community’s arena ahead that members of the chamTodd Norman Linklat- impaired driving a celebration of their lives at The players whocausing moved pionship squads graduer, the 27-year-old driver death. the arena on Monday. up to the senior squad this ated, the junior on Page 8 thebut vehicle that hitgirls the year Continued Lobster, 13, and Moore of also meshed well team won RDPC's secondwith the players who were Wakes and a celebration of lifeever werejunior held May 5-7 AAA at Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation for varsity already there. Mattheo Moore, 11, Terrence Spence, 11, and Keethan Lobster, 13, who were killed near girls' championship. "They just ended up MIDGET AA KING MINERS Nelson House April 28 when theySim, werewho hit by anthe alleged drunk driver. was coach working together and WIN PROVINCIALS Thompson photo courtesy of theCitizen champion junior of Nisichawayasihk Cree Nation got comfortable with each
that the team went into the tournament with the mentality that they could win it all. "I think that it helped that they had played together before as well and a lot of them had been in the situation before at provincials whether it was the championship finals before that some of the seniors had won a couple years ago that were still on the team and then all the jayvees that had won last year." The girls had a tough opening game at this year's tournament, beating the Lorette Collegiate Scorpions 64-61. "It wasn't one of our
Sim said about the opener, ascribing the closeness to nerves on the part of her players. The Trojans then cruised to a berth in the final with an 81-39 victory over the Westgate Mennonite Collegiate Wings. "That one was much better." After claiming the title, the players were "ecstatic," said Sim. "They're a pretty excited group of girls, that's for sure," the coach said. "Definitely lots of emotions, especially for the Grade 12s with it being their last year, it was a good way for them to go
Ashley Williams was named the tournament MVP, while Hannah Murdy was selected as a tournament all-star. Murdy and teammate Casey Singh are the only members of this year's team to have been on the roster for the 2016 championship. The Trojan boys opened provincials with a 76-58 loss to the second-ranked Neelin High School Spartans, who went on to capture the championship. Their tournament ended with a 70-67 loss to the St. John's-Ravenscourt Eagles in the first round of the consolation playoffs.
Wake services held this weekend for three boys killed by alleged drunk driver near Nelson House April 28
SPORTS - PAGE 9