Pubdate: Sat, 30 Jul 2005 Source: Charleston Gazette (WV) Copyright: 2005 Charleston Gazette Contact: http://www.wvgazette.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/77 Note: Does not print out of town letters. Author: Whitney Burdette Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) KANAWHA COUNTY SHERIFF EXPLAINS WHAT'S UP WITH METH Lately, it seems as though you can't turn on the local news without hearing about a meth lab bust somewhere in Kanawha County. Meth, short for methamphetamine, is a drug that has gone from relative obscurity to center stage in the past few years, and local law enforcement is doing everything it can to stop the problem. On Feb. 1, Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford partnered with Mike Agnello of WCHS Talk Radio 58 to educate the public on the dangers of meth. The two created the program "What's up with meth?" which they have since taken to schools and churches throughout Kanawha County. "We're trying to get to everyone we can," Rutherford said. Recently, the program made its first stop in the upper Kanawha Valley, where adults and teens alike learned about the drug. "This drug is not limited to young people," said Agnello, noting that most meth "cookers" indicted in Kanawha County are actually adults. Kanawha County Prosecuting Attorney Bill Charnock and Senate Minority Leader Vic Sprouse, R-Kanawha, also attended the meeting, which was held in June at Cedar Grove Community School. Unlike most drugs, which are made from plants, meth is made from chemicals. Recipes for its creation are easily available. The drug is highly addictive and widely abused. Some common street names include crank, ice, speed and crystal. Despite meth's bad reputation, though, it can actually be used for medicinal purposes. Narcolepsy, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder and obesity are some conditions it can treat. "The dosage is controlled by a doctor," Agnello explained. It is a Schedule II stimulant, which means it has a high potential for abuse. It is only available through a prescription and can't be refilled. Some ingredients in meth are acetone, battery acid, rubbing alcohol and ephedrine, all of which are very flammable and can cause the lab to explode. Such chemicals are also hazardous to the environment. "Each pound of meth produced leaves behind six pounds of waste," said Agnello. "Chemicals can stay active for five years." Most meth cookers operate in clandestine labs, generally inside their home or garage. Since it is impossible - and illegal - for law enforcement to search each and every house without probable cause, the sheriff's department has set up a tip line for the public to use if they grow suspicious of meth lab activity in their neighborhood. "The tip line is the best thing we've had in a long time," Rutherford said. "It will not require anyone to leave any personal information about themselves." Since it was started on March 1, more than 2,600 tips have been called in. However, though a tip can yield a lot of information for police, the court does not consider it probable cause for a search. In order for police to enter a suspected lab, they actually have to see or smell meth for themselves. "In the past five months, 55 defendants have been indicted for cooking meth," said Charnock. Because of this program and the tip line, meth use is slowly decreasing in Kanawha County. "We used to have three or four labs a day," said Rutherford. "Now, we have three or four a week." - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom