Pubdate: Tue, 02 Dec 2003 Source: Commercial Appeal (TN) Copyright: 2003 The Commercial Appeal Contact: http://www.gomemphis.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/95 Author: Karin Miller, The Associated Press STORE CLERKS ENLISTED FOR METH BATTLE NASHVILLE - Tennessee retailers are teaming with law enforcement to fight what is being called an epidemic of methamphetamine usage that is wreaking havoc in families, courtrooms, jails and hospitals. David Jennings, interim director of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, told people at a statewide conference Monday that the "Tennessee Meth Watch" initiative will begin later this week. Employees at small stores and big chains will be asked to call a toll-free number - 1-877-TNN-METH - to report suspicious purchases of household items used to make the illegal drug. Posters listing the items - which include cold pills containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, rubbing alcohol, drain cleaner, salt and matches - will be placed in employee breakrooms. And stickers emblazoned with the "Tennessee Meth Watch" logo will be placed prominently on store doors and at cash registers. "Is this a magic bullet? No. Is this a magic shot? No, but we have to do something," Jennings said during the opening session of the three-day Methamphetamine Response Conference. Law enforcement officials also will work with retailers on legislation that would limit purchases of some of those items, particularly cold pills. Such bills have failed in recent years. Russell Palk of the Tennessee Retail Association said that under the new initiative store employees also will question customers purchasing those items and perhaps make them sign a log that includes their names, addresses and phone numbers. The program is hoped to deter or catch meth makers and users. Palk said a similar program in Kansas made a significant dent in that state's production of meth. Tennessee is second in the nation in meth production, according to U.S. Atty. James Vines of Nashville, who was among several officials to say the drug is the worst they've dealt with in their careers. During fiscal 2000, 235 clandestine meth labs were found in Tennessee. In fiscal 2003, which ended in September, 1,154 labs were found, said Harry Sommers of the federal Drug Enforcement Administration. "It's a horrible epidemic which is going wild in Tennessee. It's sent thousands of Tennesseans to jail, it's taken 500 children from their families and cost taxpayers millions of dollars in environmental cleanup costs," said Karen Sowers, dean of the University of Tennessee's College of Social Work. "The epidemic is straining law enforcement and social service agencies, and it shows no sign of letting up any time soon." People at the conference - including law enforcement officials, social and child welfare workers, and hospital officials - hope to come up with solutions. The most heartbreaking impact of meth addiction is the impact on children, attendees agreed. In McMinn County alone last year 18 children were removed from their homes and placed in foster care, and another 49 were placed with relatives, said James Watson, a juvenile court and general sessions judge. In some cases addicted parents are willingly giving up children to get their next fix, teens are dying of heart attacks, newborns are having seizures and young children exposed to the drug suffer from kidney and liver ailments, according to Dr. Sullivan Smith of Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Life expectancy for an addict is less than five years, he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman