Chris Woodall
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Jan 23/06) - Mounties from NWT and provincial detachments went to drug school last week to learn about the realities of making methamphetamine, an illegal street drug.

The secret laboratory safety course, set up by Alberta RCMP in Edmonton, showed constables and firefighters how the drug is made. An American drug enforcement officer also taught what to expect when raiding a drug lab.

The chemicals to make "crystal meth" are easy to obtain, but are toxic. The clean police lab raised questions for the students what it's like for less-careful labs.

"If we're providing this degree of training for emergency responders, what is the environment for the people working in these labs and what is the quality and nature of these substances people are putting into their bodies?" explained Edmonton RCMP Cpl. Wayne Oakes.