Cocaine: Alberta-wide increase
By CHUCK CHIANG
Fort McMurray Today staff
Tuesday November 13, 2007
The overall drug problem in Alberta is down, but cocaine-related issues are on the rise, according to a recent report by a provincial task force.
The Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force said offences involving cocaine increased by 12 per cent last year, according to the Calgary Sun, versus drops in overall and marijuana drug offences.
The indication that cocaine is the biggest drug problem in the province echoes local RCMP statistics, which put cocaine-related issues at the top of the list in terms of cases involving drugs.
Between January and July, Fort McMurray RCMP has recorded 65 open files and 53 charges for cocaine-related offences, said Const. Tiffany McGregor.
In comparison, 49 open files and 37 charges have been recorded on marijuana-related and other drug offences during that period.
No comparable numbers from last year were available, McGregor said.
The provincial report said Alberta's growing wealth is a contributor to the rising cocaine problem, but McGregor said the local RCMP couldn't say if Fort McMurray's population or wealth increase had any links to the numbers in Wood Buffalo.
"We pursue all charges based on calls for service," she said. "And that's for any illegal drug, not just a single kind (like cocaine)."
