Police have been putting pressure on local drug dealers in the past month, resulting in rash of drug-related arrests of local distributors.
In the past two weeks, Stettler RCMP have made seven or eight drug-related arrests, according to Const. Tim Hogg. All arrests stemmed from “significant possession or possession with intent to traffic” investigations.
The arrests were all of local individuals, 18 to 35 years of age, Hogg noted.
Though the Town of Stettler doesn’t have a significant drug problem, there are drugs in the community and one of the substances police are starting to see more of is methamphetamines, also known as meth or crystal meth.
“Meth is starting to become a problem,” Hogg said. The drug increases the amount of dopamine in the brain, which leads to a pleasurable feeling. People on methamphetamines are often energetic, unable to sleep, and happy at first, but longterm use can develop anxiety, confusion, insomnia, and violent mood disturbances. Paranoia, hallucinations and delusions are also possible, such as the common feeling of insects crawling under one’s skin – which is why many addicts scratch their skin until it bleeds.