First Of Two Parts Methamphetamine labs may not have the stranglehold they once had on New Mexico, but the number of victims the drug is enslaving continues to rise. Statewide, police are turning to the Meth Watch program to combat the addictive substance, and in Rio Rancho, that means more public education. Friday's first meth-awareness class, presented by the Rio Rancho Department of Public Safety on behalf of the Meth Watch program, came not only with information, but also with a challenge to act. About 15 people attend the class. [continues 1033 words]
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. [continues 803 words]
'Meth Watch' Aims To Help Retailers Recognize Customers Buying Meth-Making Ingredients New Mexico is adding another tool in its fight against methamphetamine, and it's beginning in Rio Rancho. On Friday, 13 New Mexico district attorneys gathered at the Department of Public Safety headquarters to announce an expanded methamphetamine-combating program and to train to take that program back to their districts. With the recent state legislation requiring pseudo-ephedrine products be kept behind a pharmacist's counter, many methamphetamine makers are importing that drug from across the Mexico border, state drug czar Herman Silva said. [continues 395 words]
In 2003, drug use caused 342 deaths in New Mexico, according to the Office of National Drug Control Policy. The New Mexico Department of Transportation cited 4,747 repeat DWI offenders last year. In 2005, Sandoval County instituted an adult drug court to stem the continued danger of drug and alcohol abuses within its borders. Ten people have already enrolled in the drug court program since it began on July 1, and director Chris Weaver said he has room for two more. Each participant is obligated to remain in the program for a minimum of one year, during which time he or she undergoes "frequent drug testing and therapeutic treatment, not only for substance abuse, but also in other aspects of each participant's life." [continues 379 words]
