Pubdate: Fri, 11 Apr 2008
Source: Portales News-Tribune (NM)
Copyright: 2008 Portales News-Tribune
Contact:  http://www.pntonline.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3452
Author: Helena Rodriguez
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)

LOCAL OFFICIALS REACT TO METH

It wasn't like reefer madness in the 1960s, when officials tried to
scare people away from using drugs.  This was the real deal.

That's what Jennifer Lockwood, a licensed mental health counselor
with Mental Health Resources in Portales said  on Thursday night after
watching, "Crystal Darkness," a  30-minute, commercial-free
documentary about  methamphetamine, which aired statewide following
the  evening news.

"This was not a scare tactic. This was just enough to get people
talking," Lockwood said. "Because the thing about it is that it was
all true."

The "Crystal Darkness" documentary, filmed in northern New Mexico by
a nonprofit organization in Nevada, was  part of a campaign designed
to draw awareness to the  statewide problem of meth abuse and addiction.

Portales Police Capt. Lonnie Berry was unable to watch the
documentary on Thursday night, although his family  did. Berry said,
"Meth is probably the biggest narcotic  issue that we deal with. We
deal with meth abuse on a  daily basis, through the people we come in
contact  with."

Berry said that the Portales Police Department gets at least one call
a week from family members of meth  addicts, asking what they can do,
where they can get  help for their loved ones.

Berry also commented on a local documentary being filmed by a
Portales man, Paul Hunton, with the help of  Crime Stoppers. "We are
really encouraged by what Paul  is doing. He has a great project going
on and it's  about people from here, from this area," Berry said.

At Lindsey Middle School in Portales, sixth graders were encouraged
to watch the "Crystal Darkness"  documentary on Thursday night with
their families.  Lindsey Principal Rick Segovia said, "At Lindsey, our
 students are getting to the age where they are most  likely to be
influenced by TV or by older people. We  want to empower them and
educate them on the dangers of  meth, to help give them refusal skills
to say no, and  avoid situations that will get them into it."

Segovia said the school has also had officials from the 9th Judicial
District Attorney's Office speak to the  children about the dangers of
meth use.

While Lockwood thought the documentary was a good tool in creating
more awareness, she said that she hopes it  does not cause people to
judge meth addicts.

"We have to really help these people," she said. "They are not
monsters. Even though meth does make people do terrible things, there
are people inside of them."

Lockwood did say she was a bit disappointed that the  documentary did
not address the area of rehabilitation.  In the documentary, one man
said, "There is not a  prison cell in this country that will shake the
 addiction of methamphetamine."

Berry said, "One thing that people need to realize is that getting
addicted doesn't happen overnight and  getting clean doesn't happen
overnight, either."

The reoccurring theme throughout the documentary by  recovering
addicts was, "It's not worth it!" as addicts  talked about how meth
caused them to do things they  never thought they could do.

According to the documentary, methamphetamine is a  man-made drug
which travels to the brain and creates an  intense rush for hours and
is known to keep people  awake for days at a time.

Over time, the drug destroys the brain's pleasure receptors and
causes severe depression in people and a constant addiction that is
never satisfied.

For more information about the documentary go to  www.crystaldarkness.com.
To get help for meth  addiction, call 877-238-7272.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin