Pubdate: Fri, 18 Nov 2005 Source: Charlotte Observer (NC) Copyright: 2005 The Charlotte Observer Contact: http://www.charlotte.com/mld/observer/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/78 Author: Joe Depriest Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) Poison Creeps Closer: METH SLITHERS INTO OUR REGION In Gaston and Lincoln, deadly drug is no longer someone else's problem It's creeping out of the mountains of Western North Carolina like a deadly vine. Now the tendrils of methamphetamines have slithered all the way to Gaston and Lincoln counties. Last weekend, Mount Holly police seized three pounds of meth, a powerful synthetic stimulant also known as speed, crank, ice or crystal. Two months ago, Lincolnton authorities found four pounds in a sting operation. In a recent article, the Observer's Danica Coto reported that while no meth labs have been reported in Gaston yet, authorities are seeing large amounts imported for distribution. It's more poison to deal with. In the Mount Holly meth bust, police charged three men with felony drug trafficking. "I'm not going to claim victory," Mount Holly Police Chief Bence Hoyle said. "There's a lot more of it out there. This won't be the last of it." Hoyle is right. Cheaper to make than cocaine, meth delivers a longer high. It can be smoked, injected, snorted or eaten. Either way, it's highly addictive and can rot your teeth and damage your brain. The number of meth users is growing fast. That's evidenced by the number of labs busted statewide last year -- 322, up from nine labs in 1999. So far, no meth labs have been reported in Gaston County. But they've turned up all around us. In September, authorities found the largest meth lab in Mecklenburg County in a South Charlotte townhouse. These homemade labs can explode because of all the dangerous chemicals that go into the mix. Meth makers don't care about blowing up a neighborhood. It's not unusual to hear about children living in homes or apartments where meth is being manufactured. You hear about such things and they're disturbing. But, like bird flu outbreaks, they're happening somewhere else. You keep hoping: Maybe it won't happen here. But the poison keeps creeping closer. It may be next week or next month, but sooner or later we'll hear about a local meth lab getting busted or blowing up. I hope authorities keep the heat on meth makers and traffickers. Lincolnton Police Chief Dean Abernathy told Coto that police officers will get mandatory training on how to deal with meth. Also, he said they'll keep a close lookout for labs. Meanwhile, we need anti-drug programs in schools and communities that specifically target meth. Regular programs where experts can repeat the dangers of filling your body with something brewed with such ingredients as red phosphorus, kerosene and a decongestant in cold pills. We can't keep the meth scourge out. It's already here. But we can start learning more about the drug and saying no to it as loud as possible. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake