The Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee (MJCMSC) is a network of several human service organizations and community members, led by Moose Jaw Police Service. Comprised of 14 members of several human service organizations interested in providing information to community members to increase awareness about the dangers of crystal meth use in Moose Jaw and the area, the committee is set to work in 2019. The MJCMSC secured grant funds from the Community Initiatives and Civil Forfeiture Funds which enabled them to conduct a prevention and awareness campaign in 2021. The committee’s goal was to inform community members about the dangers of crystal meth, targeting parents and educators so they could increase their comfort levels to have discussions with youth about crystal meth and other drugs. The committee’s main objectives were to stimulate conversations that dispel myths, address the stigma associated with drug addictions, and inform community members about the local resources and supports. Organized by our project coordinator, 2021 community awareness on the dangers of crystal meth occurred through public information events, broad stroke opportunities like social media and media, and through specific audiences through presentations. It is our hope that these activities may have contributed to increased understanding of crystal meth and its impact on the community, increased compassion and empathy to those who are or become addicted to this drug, and lowered likelihood.
Some of the outputs from the 2021 Prevention and Awareness Campaign remain accessible to the public and are housed on Hope Summit’s website. Here you can view and utilize a range of resources and videos, including: ‘Stop Mething Around’ and ‘Stop Mething Around: A Family Affair’ a locally filmed video series developed in cooperation with Shaw Spotlight; Resources for Grade 9 Health Educators, etc.
While the Moose Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee (MJCMSC) has concluded following completion of the 2021 Prevention and Awareness Campaign, there is a commitment from partners to address community concerns regarding addictions or other issues requiring a multi-sectoral approach as the issues are brought forward. We recognize that many issues, including addictions, impact the community and the work of several sectors, and require an interagency approach to finding solutions.
Submitted by:
Gillian Froehlich, Health Promotion Practitioner, Saskatchewan Health Authority
On behlalf of the former Mossed Jaw Crystal Meth Strategy Committee
