A HIGHLY addictive Class A drug which can hook users from the first time they take it is being manufactured and sold in a Ceredigion town, a town council has been told.

Cllr Dinah Mulholland relayed reports that crystal meth was freely available during a general discussion on the town’s drug problem with local police officers.

“Drug use seems to be rising,” she told them. “The amount of skunk I smell on the streets of Lampeter is increasing.

“I have also been told that crystal meth is being manufactured and sold in town. When I was growing up, kids would smoke cigarettes – now I’m concerned that kids of 14 are smoking cannabis.”

Chief Inspector Steve Davies did not comment on the information relayed by Cllr Mulholland.

He replied that while drug offences had risen, the use of Class A drugs such as methamphetamine was not a major problem.

And he went on to disclose how police were changing their tactics in the war on drugs with greater emphasis now being placed on education and prevention.

“A total of 40 drug crimes this year is eight up on the previous 12 months,” he said. “Twenty of those offences involved cannabis.

“You will see other Class A drug use but not on any grand scale."

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