Many of us think Salmon Arm’s a quaint little tourist/retirement town, but the reality is actually quite different.
Const. Yvonne Dibblee of the Salmon Arm RCMP was under a similar impression, saying she thought Salmon Arm was a senior Sleepy Hollow town until she started working here. Then she became aware of the quantity and variety of drugs that are transported through Salmon Arm and how the community is often not aware of what is seized.
Marijuana, cocaine, crystal meth and heroin, in that order, are the most common drugs in the city, as explained at a community drug forum Monday.
As the temptation to experiment with drugs is prevalent among young people, an important message from police is for parents to pay close attention to what their teenaged kids are doing and watch for changes in habits or behaviour.
But drugs go beyond a teenage problem. The entire community has a vested interest in preventing drug problems and assisting police in identifying drug issues.
Most of the drugs discussed at the forum are readily available and while Salmon Arm’s drug problems do not rival that in cities like Vancouver or Victoria, they are significant and play a major role in the level of local crime. Robberies, break and enters, thefts from vehicles are often related to the drug scene.
The RCMP invite citizens to be proactive by contacting them if they see or suspect drug activity. Take them up on it.