Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2001 Source: Daily News (KY) Copyright: 2001 News Publishing LLC Contact: http://www.bgdailynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1218 Author: Justin Willis Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH IS TAKING ITS TOLL IN REGION The synthetic amphetamine, meth, has significantly invaded rural counties and devastated lives and communities in its path, according to drug treatment coordinator Beverly Kennedy. Kennedy coordinates outpatient therapy at PathFinders in Gallatin, Tenn., a center which serves many in southcentral Kentucky. At the center, counselors use a video tape entitled: "Crank County." The video documents the effects of meth that leads parents to neglect their children and others to see harm around every corner, according to Kennedy. In the past two weeks, Logan County has earned the title of southcentral Kentucky's crank county. An anonymous complaint led to the arrest of five people on meth manufacturing charges around midnight Wednesday, making the already overwhelmed Logan County Sheriff's Office and Russellville Police Department tackle at least 10 labs in two weeks, according to Logan County Sheriff Dannie Blick. A complaint of possible meth manufacturing led to the arrests of Ronald E. Bock, 37, and Paula Wilson, 34, of Elkton, and Pamela Holden, 22, Micheal Carneal, 31, and Heather Norris, 21, all of Lewisburg. All but Carneal are facing manufacturing meth charges and additional drug charges. Carneal is facing possession of controlled substance charge. All remain lodged in Logan County Detention Center. The Logan County Sheriff's Office and the Russellville Police Department participated in the bust which netted anhydrous ammonia, ether, lithium and decongestant tablets, 20 grams of suspected methamphetamine and a gun from the site at 201 Dunmor Deerlick Road, according to a sheriff's statement. Blick attributes the rash of labs in recent weeks to a concerned public that has learned to recognize the drug's tell-tale ingredients and signs in order to tip law enforcement. With each arrest and each lab comes additional information about another existing lab or one in the making, Blick said. "It's like farmers waiting for rain," Blick said. "You wait and you wait. You gather information over a period of time. It kind of grows and you move from one case to the next one. Every time we make an arrest, every time we take down a lab, we get information that will take us a little bit further." Unlike the stereotypes of other drug sellers as being relatively drug- free when it comes to personal usage of their wares, meth users seem to defy that typical standard and are users themselves, Blick said. The dangers of a meth lab are not only the explosive ingredients such as anhydrous ammonia and ether, which are used in the manufacturing process, but the fact that people high on the mind-altering substance are making batches of the drug with measurements of rat poison and strychnine, Kennedy said. While the high from cocaine may last 15 to 20 minutes, the highs from meth, which is available in pills, powder, capsules or chunks, can span several hours and give the user feelings that they are full of energy and are invincible. Users are jittery, fidgety and their mind races, according to Kennedy, who has worked with meth addicts. The potential danger of someone under the effect of meth should not be underestimated, she said. Hallucinations and paranoia are common, including cases where a user thought an intruder was breaking into their home and unknowingly shot and killed their grandmother, she said. Users tend to think their performance of any activity is enhanced while under the drug's influence, but that's far from true, she said. "They truly think they see people out there trying to harm them," Kennedy said. "It affects their thinking. If they're moms they end up neglecting their kids because their minds are out there." The powerful effects of the drug are hard to shake and the psychological side effects include severe depression during withdrawal, Kennedy said. Often someone will use the drug to stave the depression and wind up in jail again for an additional offense. The time-consuming decontamination of the labs have taxed many of the smaller agencies in southcentral and western Kentucky that are hoping for assistance from state or federal authorities. Budget-strapped Logan County recently cut back the sheriff's budget by $90,000, causing the loss of two deputies and two vehicles. In April, Rep. Ron Lewis, R-Cecilia, announced that Warren County will receive $250,000 in federal money to be used for equipment, overtime and training. The money has not yet arrived, but is scheduled to sometime this year. A similar request has been passed by the House, but the certainty of the money or the amount won't be ascertained until September, according to Kathy Reding, spokeswoman in Lewis' office. If the money is received, they will study which areas in the second district have the highest need and allocate it appropriately, she said. - --- MAP posted-by: