Pubdate: Sat, 06 Aug 2005
Source: Times Leader  (Wilkes-Barre, PA)
Copyright: 2005 The Times Leader
Contact:  http://www.timesleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/933
Author: Terrie Morgan-Besecker
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

Illegal Drugs

OFFICIALS BRACE FOR METH WOES

Area Law Enforcement Officers Expect The Problem To Spread From Surrounding 
Areas

WILKES-BARRE -- The methamphetamine problem that has plagued Bradford and 
Wyoming counties hasn't hit Luzerne County yet, but local drug officials 
say they suspect it's just a matter of time.

The increasingly popular, highly addictive drug was examined this week in a 
cover story by the national magazine Newsweek, which chronicled its 
resurgence as the drug of choice of among addicts, particularly in rural 
communities.

So much meth is produced in Bradford County that it has garnered the title 
"Meth Valley," from law enforcement officials nationwide, the magazine 
reported.

In Luzerne County, local law enforcement and drug and alcohol providers say 
heroin continues to be the top problem. But they're aware of the increasing 
popularity of methamphetamine and are monitoring the trend closely.

"Are we seeing an increase here in Luzerne County? Not yet. Are we thinking 
there is a strong possibility we will? Absolutely," said Mike Donahue, head 
of Luzerne/Wyoming Counties Drug & Alcohol.

Methamphetamine is a chemically produced stimulant that elicits an extreme 
high that lasts for six to eight hours. It sells for roughly $30 to $40 per 
an eighth of an ounce. Tt is relatively easy to produce, so many users 
"cook" it themselves. That significantly reduces the cost, said Frank 
Noonan, director of the regional drug task force of the state Office of 
Attorney General.

"People think of a lab and test tubes. This is some guy with a stove," 
Noonan said. "They'll make an ounce or two for themselves and sell a little 
bit."

There are a number of methods to produce methamphetamine. The most common, 
and troubling, officials say, involves adding several hazardous chemicals 
to pseudoephedrine, a substance contained in many popular over-the-counter 
cold and allergy medicines

Meth producers, known as "cookers," have targeted rural areas because the 
process creates a strong odor, similar to cat urine, that would be detected 
by neighbors in densely populated areas, several law enforcement officials 
said. But now production is moving to urban areas through the use of mobile 
meth labs set up in the trunks of cars.

"We caught two guys driving around here who were about to cook. They had 
all the gear in their car, all the hazardous chemicals," said Wyoming 
County District Attorney George Skumanick, describing a bust from a few 
months ago. "We had to call in a hazardous chemical team for Hershey to 
clean it up."

Skumanick said he's seen a significant increase in the number of 
methamphetamine-related arrests in recent years, with most coming from the 
northwest corner of the county, which borders Bradford County.

The increased use is alarming not only because of what it does to the 
addict, but the consequences it has for society, officials said.

When it comes to the toll it takes on the body, meth is in a class of its 
own, treatment officials say. The drug, taken in a powder form that is 
smoked or snorted, is a powerful stimulant that leaves users unable to 
sleep, sometimes for days. It also suppresses appetite, so users typically 
lose a great deal of weight.

Those effects, coupled with extreme paranoia and sometimes hallucinations, 
make meth users far more prone to violence, Noonan said.

Equally troubling, Noonan said, are safety and environmental issues 
associated with the production of the drug.

Chemicals used in the production, including phosphorous and ether, are 
extremely flammable. That poses a significant fire risk to surrounding 
structures. In addition, byproducts produced in the manufacture are 
extremely toxic to the environment. Officers who bust labs wear full-body 
contamination suits.

What's being done to combat the problem?

Law enforcement is continuing efforts to hunt down meth labs. In the 
meantime, some groups are pushing to have retailers place medicines 
containing pseudoephedrine behind pharmacy counters or otherwise restrict 
access.

Susan Mizenko, prevention education supervisor with Wyoming Valley Drug and 
Alcohol, said the agency is planning an educational campaign for local 
retailers this fall in hopes of convincing them to take that action.

Donahue said he also supports limiting access, despite the inconvenience it 
would cause for the general public.

"I would tolerate the hassle because, in the long run, it may prevent a 
child from getting into meth," he said.
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