Pubdate: Thu, 17 Jan 2008 Source: Sun Times, The (Owen Sound, CN ON) Copyright: 2008 Osprey Media Group Inc. Contact: http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1544 Author: Jim Algie Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) HOME DRUG LABS A GROWING DANGER FOR CHILDREN'S AID WORKERS Crystal Meth Operations Can Be Lethal, Meeting Told On top of heartbreaking interviews with parents addled by years of methamphetamine addiction, Children's Aid Society workers increasingly face personal hazards in homes where crystal meth and other drugs are manufactured. Grey County CAS protection service manager Julie Lipsett said Thursday the presence of methamphetamine in area homes, particularly in southern areas of Grey County, has risen in recent years. When she began working for Children's Aid 10 years ago, cocaine and opiates such as dilaudid and oxycontin were major problems. "Cocaine is still there but crystal meth is more of a problem for us," Lipsett said in an interview following a presentation by Grey County OPP Const. Drew Wilder to CAS workers at St. Mary's Parish Hall. Popular illegal drugs of the 1970s and '80s, such as LSD and psylocybin, are less common locally these days although remote rural areas are used for marijuana grow operations, Wilder told his audience. However, manufactured drugs such as crystal meth and ecstasy are on the rise. "I want to make sure you guys are aware of what you're seeing," said Wilder, a 22 year veteran with the force who has worked in Grey County all those year. "Don't for a second think that what I'm going to show you is only in Toronto or the big centres. It's here as well." His presentation kit includes samples of a wide range of illegal drugs and equipment used by drug abusers and addicts -- everything from marijuana to heroin, brand-name cough medications, hallucinogenics, stimulants, depressants, steroids, gasoline and model airplane glue. He has slides that show bathroom drug labs and photos of houses destroyed by explosions and fires caused by the solvents and other chemicals used in illicit drug production. Wilder warned society workers to approach households where methamphetamine production may be a factor with caution. He urged them to wear gloves when dealing with known drug users and to seek police advice in suspicious circumstances. When drug enforcement officers raid suspected drug labs, they go in wearing chemical protection suits and breathing masks, often in the company of firefighters trained in handling hazardous materials. "This is your health," Wilder said. "If you find something like this, you've got to glove up. If you don't have gloves that you carry with you all the time, get some . . . You don't want this stuff coming into contact with your skin. There is no control over how this stuff is made. You have no idea what goes into each batch." "It's what are we looking for when going into a home, what paraphernalia, what drugs are on the street, how do they protect themselves and the first step in protecting yourself is to know what you're looking for," Lipsett said following Wilder's talk. "It's an ongoing issue for us and the biggest problem is crystal meth, particularly in the south." Wilder described methamphetamine as highly addictive. It can be smoked, injected or snorted and produces sensational stimulation of the nervous system. Because of the solvents and other chemicals used to produce it, there are high risks of contamination and overdose. Long-term use also produces side effects including insomnia, infected sores known as "crank bugs," burns caused by the high temperature at which the drug burns during smoking, weight loss, eroded gums and tooth decay. Psychological effects include hallucinations, nervousness and prolonged depression, Wilder said. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath