Pubdate: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT) Copyright: 2009 The Salt Lake Tribune Contact: http://www.sltrib.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/383 Author: Nate Carlisle, The Salt Lake Tribune Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH COPS IN PARADOX IN UTAH Their Cases Dismissed, Officers Say Working Around Drug Labs Sickened Them. Utah County sheriff's Lt. Dennis Harris may be the best example of the divide between science, the law and police who say methamphetamine sickened them. Harris spent the past month undergoing a treatment purporting to alleviate symptoms of meth exposure. In the midst of Harris' 30-day effort to sweat out poisons, an administrative judge dismissed his worker compensation claim for lack of evidence. "Physically I feel a lot better," said Harris, 54, whose treatment ended Nov. 19. "Mentally, I feel fantastic." The Meth Cops include a few dozen current or former narcotics officers from across Utah who say working around meth labs, meth precursors or the finished drug left them with ailments including cancer and neurological problems. But science has not yet supported their claims. A state-funded study released in 2008 found some suggestions the officers have an elevated risk of certain cancers, but warned the results may be inaccurate because so few police officers responded to surveys. There also is debate about a treatment being offered to Meth Cops. The 30-day regimen involves officers exercising, sitting in a sauna and ingesting antioxidants for five hours a day in order to excrete poisons. The program is based on the teachings of Scientology and has received funding from the state Legislature. But toxicologists contend the poisons would have left the body years ago and the regimen promotes fringe science over conventional medicine. Harris, 54, was a narcotics detective for most of the 1990s. He remembers one drug investigation that took him to Bend, Ore., where he and another officer loaded a Ford Bronco with meth lab chemicals seized as evidence and drove back to Utah County. On the way home, Harris said, he remembers his eyes and lungs burning. Today, Harris works in the jail and does some of the public relations work for the Sheriff's Office. He said his symptoms have included numbness on his left side, an inability to sleep and acid reflux. And despite staying active and slim, Harris had a heart attack in August. "I was really reluctant to get into this program until I started having a lot of health problems," Harris said. Like many of the other Meth Cops, Harris requested his case be dismissed. Many of the Meth Cops are still seeking evidence methamphetamine caused their illnesses. A judge also dismissed two other cases last month. In all, 22 workers compensation cases by the Meth Cops have been dismissed this year. Five cases are pending with an administrative judge. Requesting a dismissal gives them time to search for evidence and gives them the option to file again one day. But Harris is unsure whether he will refile. "I feel very thankful that I'm feeling as good as I am right now," Harris said. [sidebar] Case dismissed One of the Meth Cops workman's compensation cases dismissed last month was that of Gary Sterner, a 57-year-old sergeant with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office. Sterner and his late wife both worked on a drug task force in the 1990s. The case of the deceased wife, Kelly Nye, was dismissed earlier this year. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D