Pubdate: Fri, 03 Mar 2000
Source: Oklahoman, The (OK)
Copyright: 2000 The Oklahoma Publishing Co.
Contact:  P.O. Box 25125, Oklahoma City, OK 73125
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Website: http://www.oklahoman.com/
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Author: Steve Wedel

BUSTING METH LABS MIXED BLESSING FOR AREA

MOORE -- When police officers recently discovered two methamphetamine
labs in different homes, Moore became the second highest ranking city
in the metro for meth lab busts.

"I think we've had six so far," said Moore police spokesman Sgt. Scott
Singer. "I'm not sure because there are other agencies involved, but I
think that's what we have so far."

Those other agencies include the Cleveland County Drug Task Force and
the Norman Special Operations Unit -- organizations with special
training related to the handling and dismantling of the potentially
explosive methamphetamine labs.

And in Oklahoma City, Edmond, El Reno and Midwest City, police say
there is a steady stream of meth lab busts.

Moore Mayor Glenn Lewis said he's glad to know his city has had so
many methamphetamine lab busts.

"I'm pleased we're number two as far as catching the people," he said.
"I attribute that to our police and the citizens who turn these people
in on our drug hot line. We won't tolerate that kind of behavior in
our city."

Catching meth cookers is a mixed blessing as far as how others
perceive the community, however.

"It's a two-edged sword," Lewis said. "Your crime rate goes up when
you catch these people and you have a really low crime rate if you
don't catch them. But we want them caught."

In the past five years, methamphetamine has become the drug of choice
for low-income white males. It is easy to make and highly addictive.
The drug comes in many forms and can be smoked, snorted, orally
ingested or injected. The high is produced by ephedrine, an ingredient
found in many cold medicines.

Like cocaine, methamphetamine chemically affects the brain's reward
system, quickly causing excessive stimulation and euphoria, according
to the National Institute of Drug Abuse.

Pam McKeown, spokeswoman for the state's Department of Mental Health
and Substance Abuse, said Oklahoma has a real problem with the abuse
of stimulants like methamphetamine.

"In the 18 and up age group, we're higher than the national average
for number of cases of stimulant abuse," she said. McKeown added that,
among stimulant abusers surveyed by the department, the number of
people listing methamphetamine as their drug of choice is rising in
Oklahoma.

McKeown said the short-term effects of methamphetamine can include
increased attention, decreased fatigue, increased activity, decreased
appetite, a feeling of euphoria, and sometimes hypothermia. She said
the long-term effects usually include a physical dependency on the
drug, paranoia, hallucinations, mood disturbances and in some cases,
stroke.

Mark Woodward, spokesman for the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics, added
some other effects for those caught cooking the drug in Moore: "The
penalty for cooking meth in Oklahoma is 20 years to life," he said.
"That's the stiffest in the country, as far as we know."

Woodward said 781 methamphetamine labs were found in Oklahoma in 1999
- -- a state record that made Oklahoma the third-highest methamphetamine
producing state in the nation, behind California and Missouri.
Woodward said Oklahoma is on course to set another record this year.

Capt. Charles Allen of the Oklahoma City Police Department said there
have been 25 labs found in Oklahoma City so far, with 123 found in
1999.

Sgt. Cleo Land of the Edmond police narcotics unit said his department
has found two sites this year where methamphetamine labs were going to
be set up. Four people were arrested before the labs were operational,
he said.

In El Reno, Sgt. Carl Weder of the police department's narcotics
division said they uncovered 14 labs last year, but only one so far
this year.

"We know we have more, we just haven't caught them," Weder said.
"People are buying the stuff at Wal-Mart or stealing it."

Weder said his department has arrested some Moore residents who came
into Canadian County to steal material from grain elevators.

Lt. Gerald Beabout of the Midwest City Police Department said there
have been four labs found in his city this year. Police dismantled 16
labs in 1999.

Singer was not able to immediately provide the number of
methamphetamine labs found in Moore in 1999. 
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