Pubdate: Wed, 21 Apr 2004 Source: Sampson Independent, The (NC) Copyright: 2004, The Sampson Independent Contact: http://www.clintonnc.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1704 Author: Andy Britt, The Sampson Independent Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH LABS ON RISE IN COUNTY CLINTON - The production of methamphetamine, known as "meth," by way of clandestine labs throughout the country has risen and continues to grow in Sampson and surrounding counties at an alarming rate. Attorney General Roy Cooper released a report in January showing that in just the last four years, secret drug labs that produce meth and subsequent arrests have grown from nine in 1999 to 177 in 2003. In Sampson County, Sheriff Jimmy Thornton said there have been four meth labs identified and destroyed in the past year and a half alone. According to statistics compiled by the State Bureau of Investigation, state law enforcement agencies have already uncovered as many labs at this point in 2004, as they did all of last year. And while data also shows that North Carolina, compared to its bordering states, has a lower level of meth activity, Duane Deaver, of the SBI's Eastern N.C. Clandestine Lab Division, says the numbers may be lower because many simply haven't been identified. For that reason, Deaver, an agent active in both the investigation of meth labs and in the education aspect, led two, two-hour seminars at Sampson Community College on Tuesday. Thornton, who attended the seminar, believes the statistics that Deaver presented were accurate. According to Deaver, a significant increase in the use of methamphetamine and its toxic production sites has resulted in an urgent need to increase awareness and recognition. "The toxins produced in the making of methamphamine are extremely dangerous," Deaver said. "It is important that you know what to look for and the precautions necessary for you to remain safe." For the most part, Deaver has focused on teaching fellow officers how to spot the characteristics of a meth lab and its operators, but Tuesday he was addressing local social services and healthcare personnel, telephone and utility workers, as well as real estate agents and others - professionals who regurlarly visit area residences. "It has become apparent that traditional law enforcement measures have not been successful in deterring this deadly epidemic," said J.W. Simmons, a police officer and the director of Lifelong Learning at SCC. "We need to call on Sampson County decision-makers to help address the problem and join efforts to counter these potential tragedies in our community. "One approach for real change can begin with an aggressive awareness effort in our schools, communities, and within various organizations that service our area. This effort cannot be done without recognition and support from our county's leadership." Meth is as addictive and dangerous as any drug the nation has ever seen, Cooper's report states: "It destroys lives through addiction, mental illness, crime and violence. Just as disturbing, these labs have put children and unsuspecting neighbors at risk by exposing them to the dangers of crime, toxic chemicals, explosions and fires. "In too many cases we find children living in the very homes where these dangerous drugs are made. In North Carolina, children have been found in approximately 25 percent of meth labs. We must stop this from happening." To meet the challenges posed by these secret drug labs, Cooper convened a statewide Summit on Oct. 2, 2003 in Winston-Salem. More than 200 people attended, including prosecutors, state and local law enforcement officers, public health and social services officials and business leaders, along with leaders of various state, federal and local agencies and non-profit organizations. The discussions from that Summit served as a springboard for Cooper's January report. "Meth was once a problem primarily in the western United States. But over the last few years, it has spread east and hit North Carolina," the report stated. "It looks like wildfire moving east," said Dan Salter of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency in an published document. In recent years, the secret labs that produce meth have begun to explode in North Carolina, both figuratively and literally. During a raid of a meth lab by the Cumberland County sheriff's office in April of 2003, one neighbor told reporter Greg Barnes from Eyewitness News 11, "I see them drive by, wave ... it was a nice house, nice neighborhood. I'm in shock." What is methamphetamine? Methamphetamine is a highly addictive stimulant that impacts the central nervous system. Meth users usually experience temporary euphoria and a sense of increased energy. The typical high can last six hours or more and can produce dangerous side effects such as irritability, paranoia, violent behavior, insomnia and brain damage. Known by other names, such as crank, speed, ice or wash, meth can be injected, snorted or ingested orally. Meth can be inexpensively manufactured by mixing and cooking raw ingredients know as "precursors." These precursors, which include common household goods and decongestant drugs containing ephedrine or pseudoephedrine, are widely available from local drug and retail stores. Because the drug is cheap and easy to make, it produces a large profit margin for those who sell it. Methamphetamine is a Schedule II drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule II drugs, like cocaine and PCP, have little medical use and a high potential for abuse. Sources: "Methamphetamine Abuse and Addiction," National Institute on Drug Abuse Research Report Series, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, available online at http://www.nida.nih.gov/ResearchReports/Methamp/Methamph.html. "Methamphetamine," North Carolina Drug Threat Assessment, National Drug Intelligence Center, April 2003, available online at http://www.usdoj.gov/ndic/pubs3/3690/meth.htm. What is a clandestine meth lab? Clandestine drug labs (often known as clan labs) produce a variety of illegal drugs, but in recent years law enforcement officials have seized a large number of labs manufacturing methamphetamine. Once found primarily in rural or sparsely populated areas, these labs are now being discovered in all areas of the state and nation. These labs are very rudimentary and can be set up virtually anywhere. Meth labs can be large, producing large quantities of the drug, or they can be simple kitchen labs where addicts cook the drug primarily for their own consumption. SBI agents and local law enforcement officials have discovered labs inside vehicles, homes, apartments, rental storage units, motel rooms, and in close proximity to schools. Source: Nancy E. Gist, "Strategic Approaches to Clandestine Drug Labratory Enforcement," Bureau of Justice Assistance Fact Sheet, United States Department of Justice, September 1999, available online at http://www.ncjrs.org/pdfiles/bja/fs000247.pdf. What can be done? Deaver, Simmons and Cooper all agree that punitive measures must be enhanced to fight meth dangers. But so many more people, outside of the courts and jails, must take a proactive approach. Education of the public and training targeted individuals, is what Deaver and Simmons are focused on at the present. Other measures suggested include working with retail merchants to develop a program to monitor the sale of precursor chemicals; training first responders, such as firefighters and emergency medical personnel, of the volatility and danger of a meth lab; and increasing resources for law enforcement to combat the meth scourge; among others. These are just a few of the recommendations put forth by those who have taken up the fight against meth. Earlier this year, Thornton and the sheriff's from surrounding counties all met to discuss the best method of attack to help diffuse the growing problem of meth labs, and they determined that more of their officers need to be educated and certified as to how to deal with meth labs. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager