Most people are aware that morphine is a controlled substance, and that in in its common form of opium it is an illegal drug. Most people are also aware that opium is derived from a variety of the poppy flower.

The powder of the poppy flower has for several years now been proving very popular in the City Of Brampton. Poppy flower powder is available in a number of meat shops and flea markets. Various outlets are openly selling poppy flowers to our children, at an eminently affordable price of $10 for 10 grams- and just two tablespoons of this powder, swallowed with a glass of water, is enough to make a person super hyper.

Poppy powder contains codeine and morphine. It has been popular with drivers, but is now spreading to our children.

I quote here from respected local news channels: "Especially taxi drivers and truck drivers are addicted to this legal drug, but now this drug is spreading into local high schools. Children involved in this not only miss out on their education, but are also vulnerable to drug addiction. The issue of 'poppy flower powder' is a serious problem."

Says Dr. Steven Black of Malton Medical Group: "The symptoms are the same as opium and, if you took what these guys are taking, you will probably die. It's very difficult to get off."

Our federal, provincial and municipal governments as well as our by-law enforcement agencies are very well aware that poppy powder contains opium, and that it is legal to sell it on the streets of Brampton.

Canadian law currently bans unlicensed use of opium and marijuana, so the overwhelming question remains: Why should the sale poppy powder- which contains morphine and codeine- be legal?

Users of poppy flower powder after extended use will find themselves becoming a burden on Canada's health care system. I have discovered that local meat shops in Brampton are also mixing some additional chemicals into the poppy powder to make it even stronger and more potent.

Even as we speak, out taxpayer's money is now going towards users' drug rehabilitation. Why would taxpayers knowingly want to pay for the health care of people who are deliberately harming themselves? Health Canada is potentially in for a rude awakening, when in time it finds it is spending millions of dollars on a new epidemic.

I also do not understand why our local meat shops are selling poppy flower powder- the City of Brampton licenses them to sell meat products, not flower products. Some meat shops are even believed to have set up heavy-duty grinders to grind the dried poppy flowers.

In these circumstances, would it not be reasonable to empower our Region of Peel inspectors to assist our community in monitoring and deterring these local shops from producing, selling and poisoning our children?

The challenge facing us now is to raise more awareness, help our community and support our children in making the healthy choices.

- Vicky Dhillon, City Councillor, Wards 9&10, Brampton