Pubdate: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 Source: Arizona City Independent-Edition (AZ) Copyright: 2005 Casa Grande Valley Newspapers Inc. Contact: P.O. BOX 15002, CASA GRANDE, AZ 85230-5002 Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3924 Website: http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?brd=1817&Nav_Sec=32412 Note: Letters policy: Because letters to the editor must be signed, they cannot be submitted online. They must also include the writer's address and a daytime telephone number. Author: Chris Vasquez Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) METH: NO LONGER JUST AN URBAN DRUG EPIDEMIC To the citizens of Pinal County: I know it will not come as a surprise to many of you when I say that Pinal County has a serious Meth-amphetamine problem. We hear reports in the news every day about the terrible effects of this drug. In May 2001, Pinal County lost Deputy Jason Lopez, who was shot and killed by a suspect who was high on Meth. This tragedy is a terrible loss for Jason's family, the Pinal County Sheriff's Office and his community and it is a clear example of the toll Meth is taking on our county. The Meth epidemic is tearing families apart! It is threatening children's lives. It is hurting our communities. And it must be stopped. Whether they know it or not, Methamphetamine affects every citizen in Pinal County. Meth use is currently a factor in over 85% of property and identity theft crimes in Arizona. It is also a major contributor to violent crimes, like the murder of Deputy Lopez. Unlike drugs such as heroin and cocaine, Meth is a "make-it-yourself" drug that can be manufactured by amateurs using everyday ingredients found on the shelves of the local grocery store. The primary ingredient in Meth is ephedrine or pseudo-ephedrine, a common ingredient in Sudafed and other over-the-counter cold medicines. Detailed recipes and instructions for manufacturing Meth can be easily found on the internet with nothing more than a cursory Google search. While producing Meth might be easy, it is also dangerous. The production of Meth creates a risk of fire and explosion. It produces lethal chemicals that leave behind a toxic mess that is incredibly difficult to clean up and eliminate. For every pound of Meth produced, between five and six pounds of toxic waste is generated. This waste gets poured into kitchen sinks, flushed down toilets and dumped in deserted fields, creating toxic dumpsites right in our neighborhoods. Because Meth production leaves behind a toxic residue, unsuspecting residents or visitors can be harmed by the chemicals from Meth production long after the cook has moved on. Meth labs exist in Pinal County homes, hotels, motels, apartments and even in automobiles. They are just as likely to be found in rural communities as they are in big cities, leading some experts to call this the first "rural drug epidemic." The drug itself is powerfully addictive. It causes damage to the brain and often permanently impacts the cognitive capacity of those who use it. But perhaps the worst aspect of Meth is the effect it has on Pinal County's children. Children who live in situations where Meth is manufactured are exposed to toxic chemicals on a daily basis. And the children of Meth users have no defense against parents who are alternately abusive and neglectful of their children as they live from one high to the next, one crash to the next. In recent months alone, I have read of a 9-month-old who climbed out of a two story window because his parents were too strung out on a Meth crash to wake up; a baby whose parents nailed a plywood sheet over the crib to make sure the baby couldn't escape while they were on a Meth high; and the baby who died of an overdose from breastfeeding from a mother who got high on Meth. These stories are only a small selection of the horrors facing children growing up in a house with Meth-addicted parents. In fact, Meth is the single biggest factor that leads children in Arizona to be removed from their homes and placed in long-term foster care. Clearly, in order to keep children safe, we have to stop the Meth epidemic not only in Pinal County, but in Arizona. We have a tough road ahead of us - and with each passing day, the problem gets worse. The number of Meth labs throughout areas of Pinal County has grown significantly over the past years. This is a problem that cannot be solved by law enforcement alone. If we are to crush Meth in Pinal County and Arizona, we need to lock up those who produce it - and treat those who use it. We need to prevent dealers from attracting new users, and we need to enlist the help of communities all across Pinal County to make it clear that we simply will not tolerate Meth in our County. Laws must be passed by the State Legislature, City Councils and Board of Supervisors that will restrict the sale of ephedrine and pseudo ephedrine consistent with what has recently been done in Oklahoma. The rule will require that pseudo ephedrine and ephedrine products be sold from behind a secured counter, such as the pharmacy counter at grocery stores which some stores in Arizona are already doing voluntarily. But this law must go a step further in requiring that people purchasing such products will have to show identification and that vendors will be required to keep a record of every purchase. I want all retailers who are currently selling pseudo ephedrine products to be able to continue to sell these products but in a secured manner that prevents would-be Meth cooks from endangering Pinal County's children. In Oklahoma, restrictions like this have resulted in up to a 70% percent reduction in Meth labs in many areas of that state. This is a problem big enough that we all have to work together, regardless of party affiliation. I am convinced that the changes put in place in Oklahoma are one of the quickest and most effective ways to stop the Meth problem here in Pinal County and Arizona. It is not the only solution, but it is a critical piece of a broad approach. This is one of the greatest public safety challenges our state has ever faced, and it is going to take all of us to crush Meth and keep our children safe. Encourage your Legislators, City Council and Board of Supervisors to research and pass laws that will help law enforcement attack this epidemic. Thank you, and may God Bless you all. Chris Vasquez, Pinal County Sheriff - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D