Pubdate: Mon, 26 Jun 2006
Source: Observer, The (NM)
Copyright: 2006 Rio Rancho Observer.
Contact:  http://www.observer-online.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2299
Author: Tom Treweek, Observer Staff Reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

POLICE NEED HELP TO COMBAT METH

Second Of Two Parts

Although Rio Rancho police have not busted a meth lab in the last two 
years, the effects of past methamphetamine endeavors still linger 
today, from the toxic chemicals that are still present in houses 
previously used for cooking meth to the many addicts who are still 
dependant on the substance.

The Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety hosted a meth-awareness 
class June 16, not only to educate the public about the dangerous 
drug, but also to solicit the public's aid in combating its use.

Why meth is dangerous

Besides the mental damage that methamphetamine causes, it is also 
quite destructive to the body.

Abuse of methamphetamine decimates the body's immune system, leaving 
users more susceptible to illness and unable to heal from even minor 
ailments. Frequently, Francis said, meth addicts develop infections 
because their bodies cannot heal properly.

Getting off methamphetamine is difficult, as withdraw can cause 
severe depression. After years of use, Francis said, meth users who 
aren't under the influence of the substance are frequently slow, 
difficult to reason with, and lack common sense.

Meth is also dangerous to those who live around the labs, and its 
after-effects are as long lasting.

Explosions, because the cooking process requires many volatile 
chemicals, are an immanent threat. For a large lab, one that fills a 
room, police may have to evacuate an entire neighborhood. Francis 
said that no meth-related explosions have occurred in Rio Rancho.

"We've had to evacuate neighborhoods before because of the labs, 
because of the process that's going on," Francis said.

Cleaning up the mess

With larger labs, the Drug Enforcement Agency assists local 
departments, both in manpower and in cost, Francis said. A lab 
cleanup can cost $10,000, which the DEA covers.

Because of the chemicals in the air due to the cooking process, meth 
is a danger to those inside the house. Police and firefighters wear 
equipment to eliminate their exposure to such chemicals, Francis 
said, but children and future residents are often not so lucky.

Children living in meth houses, because of their exposure to the 
fumes, often develop mental disabilities that can be permanent.

"So often, children become involved as innocent victims of 
methamphetamine manufacturing," Francis said. "These small, helpless 
children are completely dependent upon their parents and are commonly 
exposed to potentially explosive operating laboratories with 
chemicals and deadly gases."

Any children found in a meth lab or a former meth lab are immediately 
taken to the Children Youth and Families Division and then taken to a 
hospital for testing, Francis said.

Even after a meth lab is busted, the fumes from methamphetamine labs 
linger for many years, even though the cooking process takes as 
little as five hours. The owners are required by law to replace the 
carpet and drywall to remove any lingering chemicals, but often that 
does not happen.

During DPS' recent operation with the Department of Probation and 
Parole, officers checked in on a house on 35th Street that four years 
ago was used as a meth lab. What they found, Francis said, was a new 
family, including children, living in the home permeated by the odor 
of the meth lab.

"We could still detect the odor of meth in the house," Francis said, 
adding that a "house can become contaminated by the first cook."

Now, meth houses are flagged at the county assessor's office, after 
which a notice is required on the deed to alert potential homebuyers.

How police are combating meth

A new state law goes into effect July 1 that will require retailers 
to keep ephedrine-containing medicine out of the reach of shoppers. 
Customers will need a prescription for the medications or be required 
to present identification. The state is also limiting the amount of 
various medicines that customers can purchase without a prescription.

Some retailers, like Walgreens, are already limiting customers' 
access to ephedrine, Francis said.

But police are also asking for the public's help in combating meth. 
While officers do patrol the city, they need residents to call with 
their concerns. Francis said even if meth suspicions prove false, 
police are willing to "knock and talk," stopping by to see if there 
is any evidence of a meth lab visible from outside the structure and 
talking to the residents if possible.

What to do if a lab is nearby

Meth users are often violent because of the drug, and Francis urged 
that residents call police rather than get personally involved.

"If you come across meth users in the street, it is common that they 
are very violent," he said.

Likewise, citizens should not enter a meth house because of the 
dangers of explosion or chemical exposure. Entering the building, 
Francis said, is best left to the police and firefighters in the 
proper equipment.

Francis offered two numbers residents can call: the DPS non-emergency 
number (891-7226) and the Crime Stoppers number (843-STOP). Callers 
can remain anonymous when calling either number, Francis said.

Although there is not a second methamphetamine class scheduled, 
Francis said they are merely waiting to set a date. In the meantime, 
DPS is hosting the Citizen's Public Safety Academy, a 12-week course 
beginning July 25. That course will cover the gambit of jobs and 
responsibilities with DPS, including firefighters, paramedics, and 
dispatch workers.
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MAP posted-by: Beth Wehrman