Pubdate: Wed, 22 Sep 2004 Source: Macon Telegraph (GA) Copyright: 2004 The Macon Telegraph Publishing Company Contact: http://www.macontelegraph.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/667 Author: Becky Purser, Telegraph Staff Writer Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) OFFICER DISCUSSES DANGERS OF METH WITH ANTI-DRUG GROUP WARNER ROBINS - Speaking from 43 years of experience, John Trussell estimates that about 40 percent of all crimes are drug-related. Trussell, chief probation officer for the state Department of Corrections in Houston County, spoke to Families Against Methamphetamine Abuse at its meeting Tuesday at Flint Energies. FAMA is a new group organizing in Houston County. "A lot of times when you pick up the newspaper, you read about people involved in a traffic accident or an armed robbery, and many times those are drug-related," Trussell said. For example, a person who steals a billfold and uses a credit card to purchase something to sell for cash often is feeding a drug habit, Trussell said. One of the most insidious drugs on the rise is methamphetamine, and the synthetic stimulant can be made with common household products in garbage cans, trunks of cars and hotel rooms, he said. Manufacturing the drug is very dangerous, and meth labs are considered hazardous material sites, Trussell said. Sometimes the only way for a person who has a substance-abuse problem to change is for a crisis to develop in their lives, he said. Once someone is sentenced to time in prison or a detention center, that person is off the drugs and has the opportunity to receive counseling and treatment, he said. But 60 percent of the people who get out of jail or prison return to drug use within three years, Trussell said. Trussell said it's important to either educate people about the dangers of meth before they form the habit or to use the threat of jail to get them into treatment, he said. "The preference is to bring about change, rather than lock somebody up," he said. "If a person feels like they're about to go to jail, a lot of times you get more of a commitment from them." For a parent who has had a child or young adult arrested for meth use, probably the best thing to do is leave them in jail and not bond them out right away, Trussell said. Call it tough love, Trussell said, but once the person is off the drug for a while, it may be easier to convince them to get treatment. While locked up, that person does not have access to drugs, is isolated from family and friends, and experiences a loss of privacy and freedom, he said. But for others, unless they are personally motivated to get help, there's not a lot a parent or family member can do, he said. For those willing to get help for their substance-abuse problem, there are several treatment programs in the area, many run by Christian organizations, he said. Trussell estimated it would cost at least $100,000 - mostly through private donations - to build a long-term treatment facility in Houston County. FAMA is now in the process of becoming incorporated, said James Rockefeller, a Warner Robins attorney heading the group. The group began forming in April and is expanding, he said. The group started with about 15 to 20 family members of clients Rockefeller has represented who have gotten into trouble because of meth abuse, he said. "What I saw happening with meth is people from good families had daughters and sons who never before were in trouble going to prison," Rockefeller said. "These were kids going from being decent students and good people to into prison within a year." As a result, the families decided to fight back to educate others about the problem, create a support network and the long-term possibility of building a treatment facility in Houston County, Rockefeller said. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek