Pubdate: Fri, 20 May 2005
Source: Clanton Advertiser, The (AL)
Copyright: 2005 Clanton Advertiser
Contact:  http://www.clantonadvertiser.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1742
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/opinion.htm (Opinion)

CITIZENS CAN AID IN FIGHT AGAINST METH

There are several tell-tale signs that an informed citizen can use to
help local law enforcement fight the war on methamphetamine production.

Before the Alabama Legislature passed a law this week curbing the sale
of cold medicine, anyone who was purchasing large amounts of
decongestant was a likely suspect.

Now, there are other ways to tell.

If you see anyone purchasing large amounts of peroxide, rubbing
alcohol, acetate (finger nail polish remover) or matches, notify the
manager of the grocery store.

All of the items above are vital in the production of meth, but are
needed in large quantities. Not everyone purchasing these items is
going to do evil with them; however, the large amount they will
purchase at one time makes them a likely suspect.

Outside the health risks that stem from using it, meth is a volatile
and explosive substance. The smell is overpowering and the fumes are
highly explosive. The entire process of making the evil mess can be
deadly, and the contamination that results can be just as deadly to
someone moving into a structure where a lab once operated.

The decontamination process is very expensive, and many times the only
solution is to destroy the structure that served as the lab.

So do yourself and your neighbors a favor, turn all suspected meth
cookers over to the police. 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake