Pubdate: Thu, 20 May 2004 Source: Mountain Times, The (NC) Copyright: 2004 The Mountain Times. Contact: P.O. Box 1815, Boone, NC 28607 Website: http://www.mountaintimes.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1699 Note: Does not accept LTEs via email or feedback form. All LTEs must be mailed. Author: Fawn Roark Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topics/community+health+action+teams CHATS LEARN ABOUT DANGERS AND GROWTH OF METH PROBLEMS ACSD Asks For Community's Help "Meth labs often go unnoticed. A mother might notice a strange chemical smell in the vicinity, but she might not be aware that her neighbor is making meth. A store clerk might not be aware that a customer who has purchased dozens of boxes of decongestant medicine containing ephedrine (a necessary ingredient in making meth) is a meth producer. And a farmer might not be aware that the large amount of fertilizer or anhydrous ammonia stolen from his storage tank is a common ingredient for making meth." Take from the January 2004 North Carolina Methamphetamine Summit - Responding to Methamphetamine: Combating North Carolina's Fastest Growing Drug Problem The Ashe County CHATs (Community Health Action Teams) held a special meeting last week with guest speaker Detective Chris Miller from the Ashe County Sheriff's Department to learn more about the growing problem of meth labs. Last year, Ashe County was the second highest county in the state in the amount of clandestine methamphetamine labs that were busted, according to Miller. Watauga County was the first county with the highest number of labs found. Miller said there is a statistic that for every one person who makes meth (called a cooker), he or she teaches five others how to make meth. Methamphetamine is an illegal drug known as meth, crank, ice, speed, go-go, go-fast and other names. Miller said it is predominantly used as powder and a lab or a cooker can easily be detected by unusual odors around the meth lab or on the person who has been cooking. He said people have reported smelling ammonia or cat urine or a sulfur-type odor while others say it smelled like rotten feet. Miller said he thinks it most often smells like a metallic smell of burnt chemicals. Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that impacts the central nervous system. Meth users usually experience temporary euphoria and a sense of increased energy. The typical high can last six hours or more and can produce dangerous side effects such as irritability, paranoia, violent behavior, insomnia and brain damage. Users of meth will often get addicted quickly and Miller said it more difficult to kick the habit than heroin. The body of a user will generally begin to break down about three to six months after starting the habit because he or she quits eating and sleeping because the only thing they are focused on is getting more meth. He said it has been proven that methamphetamine use can make a user become a paranoid schizophrenic. He told of several deaths where users were high and killed their children or friends because of their paranoia. Miller talked with the group about the many dangers that clandestine methamphetamine labs pose to the county. Because of the explosive chemicals used in cooking meth, there is a very high chance of a fire and explosion. Breathing the chemicals or gases is very dangerous and can often be fatal. Since meth can be made with common household chemicals and other common items, the profit margin is very high for the cooker and they aren't afraid of the current penalty of law. Miller said the possession of the chemicals is a felony in North Carolina. He passed out a sheet with the products used to produce methamphetamine. Miller said there have been several people arrested in the county with precursors (items used in meth labs). He mentioned one incident when he was at a local business and an individual came up behind him with several items in a large quantity in his cart used to make meth. Miller and his partner waited for the man to come out of Wal-Mart and called his tag into communications. The man was later arrested. Miller asked that the community help them and report anyone they see purchasing a large number of items used in making meth to the Sheriff's Department by calling Crimestoppers. "These labs are everywhere and they are right here in this county. We are doing everything we can to stop it. Any help you can give us in being more sets of eyes out there looking for these items, we appreciate it," he explained. "If they will do it right next to a uniformed officer, they will do it right next to you. Get to a phone with a tag number or any information and let us know - we will get there ASAP." Miller said that children have been found in the homes of individuals arrested on charges of producing methamphetamine. One question asked by the group was how it affects the children. Besides the obvious danger of an explosion, Miller said he has saw children with emphysema and COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease). Attorney General Roy Cooper is also concerned about the children as a statement from him reads in the report from the North Carolina Methamphetamine Summit. "Law enforcement officials, public health officers, policymakers and the media have warned about the disastrous effects of this drug. It destroys lives through addiction, mental illness, crime and violence," his statement reads. "Just as disturbing, these labs have put children and unsuspecting neighbors at risk by exposing them to the dangers of crime, toxic chemicals, explosions and fires. In too many cases, we find children living in the very homes where these dangerous drugs are made. In North Carolina, children have been found in approximately 25 percent of meth labs. We must stop this from happening." If you have any information about anyone you know who could be producing methamphetamine, call Crimestoppers at 336-246-4188. Your report can be made anonymously. - --- MAP posted-by: Thunder