Drug abuse growing in developing countries, UN warns
9/9/08 - Yahoo News

While demand for such drugs has stabilised or even declined in North America, Europe and Oceania, "the problem has shifted to new markets over the past few years," the UN's Office on Drugs and Crime said in a new report. "Asia, with its huge population and increasing affluence, is driving demand," the report said. In its 2008 Global Assessment of amphetamine, methamphetamine (meth) and ecstasy, the UNODC found that, on an annual basis, the use of these drugs exceeded that of cocaine and heroin combined. The global market, both wholesale and retail, for amphetamine-type stimulants or ATS was estimated at 65 billion dollars, the report said. In 2006, almost half of Asian countries reported an increase in methamphetamine use and Saudi Arabia seized more than 12 tonnes of amphetamine, mostly in the form known as Captagon, accounting for a staggering 25 percent of all ATS seized in the world. In South Africa, the number of seized methamphetamine laboratories had consistently gone up for the past five years while domestic consumption had increased. Launching the report in Bangkok, UNODC's Executive Director, Antonio Maria Costa, warned that ATS "is being used as a cheap and available tonic for our fast and competitive times -- for entertainment in discos (mostly in the West), and for greater stamina in assembly lines and behind a steering wheel (in the East)." Synthetic drugs were "falsely perceived as being harmless," Costa said. "This leads to benign neglect in attitudes, policy and enforcement that only slows down remedial action. This is dangerous." ATS production had stabilised worldwide at about 500 tonnes per years, but while fewer labs were being seized in the US and Europe, production was rising in neighbouring countries, such as Canada, Mexico and Turkey. Recently, the single largest seizure of ecstasy ever recorded -- 4.4 tonnes -- was made in Australia. UNODC noted that unlike plant-based drugs such as cocaine and heroin, production of synthetic drugs was hard to trace because the ingredients were readily available for legitimate industrial purposes. Furthermore, suppliers quickly adapt to the latest trends, and cater to local markets. "When one lab is shut, another opens. When one type of precursor chemical is unavailable, producers switch to an alternative," Costa said. "This presents a challenge to law enforcement since production is so close to retail outlets. Therefore, greater emphasis should be put on prevention." Ten years ago, synthetic drugs "were a cottage industry. Now they're big business controlled by organised crime syndicates involved in all phases of the trade, from smuggling precursor chemicals, to manufacturing the drugs and trafficking," Costa said. The countries facing the brunt of the ATS onslaught were also the least-prepared to cope, he continued. "Some countries are in denial about the problem, and don't even report their situation to the United Nations. Others are ill-equipped to fight the pandemic, in terms of information gathering, regulatory frameworks, law enforcement, forensics, or health care," Costa said. "The world needs to get smart about ATS before the problem is out of control," he said. The UNODC was therefore launching a new programme, SMART, which will help governments "improve their capacity to gather, analyse and share information on ATS products, their use, and on trafficking routes." "This should give us a better sense of how big the problem of synthetic drugs really is, and what more can be done to deal with it in terms of prevention, treatment and law enforcement," Costa said.
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Street Drug Use Down, Rx Drug Abuse Rising
9/4/08 - Health Scout-Consumer Health News

The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, which included about 67,500 Americans, was released Thursday by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). From 2006 to 2007, cocaine use among adults ages 18-25 decreased 23 percent to 1.7 percent, the annual report found, and methamphetamine use fell by a third to 0.4 percent. However, the abuse of prescription pain relievers by young adults rose 12 percent to 4.6 percent, according to the survey. The poll also found a significant decline in overall past-month illicit drug use among youth ages 12-17 -- dropping from 11.6 percent in 2002 to 9.5 percent in 2007. There were reductions in the use of almost every type of illicit drug, including marijuana, cocaine, hallucinogens, LSD, Ecstasy and methamphetamine, and in the abuse of such prescription drugs as pain relievers. Alcohol use in this age group decreased from 17.6 percent in 2002 to 15.9 percent in 2007 and cigarette use declined from 13.0 percent in 2002 to 9.8 percent in 2007, according to the report, released at the start of the 19th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. The reductions in cocaine and methamphetamine use among adults ages 18-25 coincide with reductions in their use among American workers. Since 2005, there has been a 50 percent reduction in the level of workplace positive drug tests for methamphetamine. Pricing and quality for "meth" also underwent changes: according to the report, in 2007 there was an 84 percent increase in average price per pure gram and a 26 percent decrease in methamphetamine purity. In 2007, the number of workplace positive drug tests for cocaine decreased 19 percent to the lowest levels in the history of the workplace testing system. Also in 2007, there was a 10 percent decrease in cocaine purity and a 21 percent increase in the average price per gram of the drug, the survey found. The report did find that illicit drug use among older adults -- those aged 55 to 59 -- more than doubled, to 4.1 percent, in 2007. The finding seems to confirm that baby boomers have continued their higher levels of substance abuse as they age. "Our efforts against methamphetamine, cocaine, and other illegal drugs are working," John Walters, director of National Drug Control Policy, said in a SAMHSA news release. "The markets for these poisons are shrinking, and the deadly grip they hold on the lives of individuals, families, and communities is being countered." But, he added, "when it comes to prescription drugs, we cannot afford to re-live the painful experiences we've had with illegal drugs. We must act quickly to increase awareness of the dangers of prescription drug abuse, decrease the illegal diversion of these products, and shore up safer practices for their prescription and distribution." The survey also examined mental health issues and found that 24.3 million Americans aged 18 or older experienced serious psychological distress and 16.5 million Americans suffered at least one episode of major depression in 2007. There's a strong association between substance abuse and mental health, the report noted. For example, adults 18 and older who had a major bout of depression in 2007 were more than twice as likely as other adults to have used illicit drugs -- 27.4 percent vs. 12.8 percent. More information The U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse has more about drug abuse.
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Program Monitors Pharmacies
Kansas City, 8/19/08 - KMBC TB

WICHITA, Kan. -- A Web-based pharmacy monitoring program is being launched this week in Kansas as law enforcement officials battle a rise in meth labs across the state. About 128 pharmacies in 62 counties will participate in the 12-month pilot program, dubbed MethShield. The program will allow the pharmacies to immediately report sales of medications that can be used to make meth. "Meth continues to just be a terrible problem for Kansas," said Jeff Brandau, a special agent in charge for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. "We are just inundated." <title>lmb_lre_PassStHulaGryHdCHPBd15s_DateHBPass_Benefit_0808_300x250</title><A TARGET="_blank" HREF="http://ad.doubleclick.net/click%3Bh=v8/3721/3/0/%2a/n%3B180007676%3B1-0%3B0%3B22890689%3B4307-300/250%3B27742495/27760374/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dhealth+square+17191470%3Bcomp%3Dfalse%3Bad%3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Btile%3D2%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaopt%3D0/ff/3f76/ff%3B%7Efdr%3D167268683%3B0-0%3B0%3B12660412%3B4307-300/250%3B24215788/24233641/1%3B%3B%7Eokv%3D%3Bkw%3Dhealth+square+17191470%3Bcomp%3Dfalse%3Bad%3Dtrue%3Bpgtype%3Ddetail%3Btile%3D2%3Bsz%3D300x250%3B%7Eaopt%3D2/2/3f76/0%3B%7Esscs%3D%3fhttps://www.lowermybills.com/servlet/LMBServlet?the_action=NavigateHomeLoansAdRedirect&sourceid=22890689-180007676-27760374"><IMG SRC="http://m1.2mdn.net/1420759/lmb_lre_PassStHulaGryHdCHPBd15s_DateHBPass_Benefit_0808_300x250.gif" BORDER=0></A> The agency found 97 meth labs through July, matching the total for all of 2007. The figure is still below numbers of just a few years ago, but authorities say it marks a troubling turnaround. "It's a progression of people learning how to bypass the safeguards we have put in place" through laws limiting how much pseudoephedrine can be bought within a day or a month, Brandau said. The written logbook system now used to track those sales does not allow for sharing real-time information between pharmacists and law enforcement authorities. "We don't even know if they went across the street or on down the road" to buy more pseudoephedrine, said Mike Dandurand, owner of Dandurand's Piccadilly Pharmacy in Wichita. "That's going to change." If a customer has bought medication containing pseudoephedrine at one pharmacy and then tries to buy more elsewhere, MethShield will alert the second pharmacy. The pharmacist can stop the transaction if a purchase exceeds the legal limit, Brandau said. KBI agents will also monitor those sales, he said.
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Grant Awarded
Princeton, IL, 8/19/08 - Bureau County Republican

Dawn Conerton with the Bureau/Putnam County Health Department said the local Communities Against Substance Abuse Coalition (CASA) met July 24 to discuss the use of the grant through the development of a local program titled, Stop Meth Now. The goal of the Stop Meth Now program is to increase education and awareness of meth abuse and to develop an effective educational program to sustain CASAs efforts, Conerton said Monday morning. The Stop Meth Now program will have a three-part focus, including promoting teachers awareness, training students and positive peer education, and an community outreach. Grant funds are to be used in the 2008-09 school year, ending April 30. At the July 24 CASA meeting, members Terry Madsen and Deb Wood gave Power Point presentations on drug/substance abuse. Both presentations are available for use in area schools by contacting the local health department, Conerton said. Also, letters have already been mailed to area schools informing them of the grant programs and opportunities. Details for the community-wide outreach portion of the grant funding are still being developed, Conerton said. The CASA group is an outgrowth of the local IPlan assessment group which met last fall to prioritize heath needs in Bureau County. Substance abuse, obesity and heart disease were determined by the IPlan assessment group as the top three local health concerns. On Monday, Conerton said the mission statement of CASA is to reduce substance abuse in youth in Bureau and Putnam counties and, in time, to also reduce substance abuse in adults by addressing factors in the community which increase the risks of substance abuse. The mission of CASA also includes promoting positive factors which minimize the risks of substance abuse, she said. Drug abuse is not just a young persons problem, Conerton said. We want people of all ages to know there is help out there. We have resources available and can guide people in the right direction to get the help they need. The Methamphetamine Community Coalition Mini-Grant was received through the U.S. Department of Justice, as administered through the University of Illinois in Chicago.
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Milford house fire started by active meth lab, police say
South Bend IN, 8/13/08 - South Bend Tribune

Officers said the fire Friday at 203 E. Williams St. remains under investigation. Undercover officers had been summoned to the scene by the Milford Fire Department and Milford Police Department after responders smelled what they believed to be the "strong odor of methamphetamine," a news release issued today stated. Kosciusko County DTF officers confirmed the lab started the blaze and requested assistance from the Indiana State Police Meth Lab Team to secure and dismantle the scene.
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Minnesota turning tide on meth, state officials say
St. Paul, MN, 7/3/08 - Pioneer Press

Methamphetamine has exacted a costly and deadly toll on Minnesota over the past decade, but a new state report shows a 93 percent reduction in reported meth labs and other progress. State health officials on Wednesday credited a 2005 law restricting the sale of the cold medicine pseudoephedrine  a key ingredient in meth production  for the drop in meth labs, which peaked at 497 in 2003 but dropped to 35 last year. The numbers of meth-related arrests and meth addicts in prison have declined within the past three years as well, and health officials say those are signs of progress rather than a softening of law enforcement activity. Those reductions are not as dramatic as the decline in meth lab busts, but they are equally important, said Chuck Noerenberg, director of the Office of State Drug Policy. A reduction in labs alone would only mean addicts were getting meth from out-of-state sources. "We have made significant progress toward reducing the scourge of meth in Minnesota," Noerenberg said. "Like any addictive drug, however, we know that it can re-emerge at any time if we don't remain vigilant and keep improving our efforts." Wednesday's Minnesota Department of Health report also documents the economic and health costs of meth. When ingested or smoked, meth can cause euphoria, increased energy and decreased appetite. Over time, the addictive drug can cause unhealthy weight loss, memory loss, tooth decay, aggression, mood problems, psychosis and brain damage. More than 3,000 Twin Cities residents needed emergency hospital care because of meth abuse from 2004 to 2007, according to the study. At least 35,000 people have entered meth treatment programs since 2000. Often produced in abandoned barns or basements, the drug spread among the urban streets, suburban neighborhoods and rural towns. The state Department of Public Safety estimated meth created a $120 million economic burden for the state in 2004, but some officials say the annual cost was much higher. "Methamphetamine has taken a huge toll on Minnesota," said Dr. Sanne Magnan, state health commissioner. "Lives have been lost or damaged forever, the judicial system has been overburdened with meth cases, homes and neighborhoods have been damaged by meth labs, and communities have experienced a rise in crimes that often accompany meth use." Consistent with other findings that meth use is declining, chemical dependency programs have reported a 34 percent decline from 2005 to 2007 in patients admitted for meth abuse, according to the state report. The Hazelden Foundation is seeing fewer addicts who use meth as their primary "drug of choice," but its treatment centers continue to admit numerous meth addicts, said Ariel Johanna Cohen, Hazelden's director of health services. In some cases, addicts may have replaced meth with marijuana or alcohol, which have been the most commonly abused drugs. "This is a problem that continues to need attention," she said. The 2005 legislation required over-the-counter pseudo-ephedrine products to be placed behind pharmacy counters and sold only to people who presented proper identification and signed a log tracking such purchases. It also increased the number of state enforcement agents focused on meth crimes and created cleanup requirements for homes in which dangerous chemicals were used for meth production. Despite the positive trends, the Health Department's report recommends: # Further educational and community prevention efforts. # A computer system for tracking pseudoephedrine purchases. # Stronger protections against meth lab homes. # More drug courts and expanded treatment services. Meanwhile, meth investigators with the state Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have noticed a slight increase in meth lab activity this year, said Terri Vandergriff, who leads the BCA's special investigations unit. Tighter restrictions on meth-making supplies in Mexico have forced dealers to seek local production again, she said. Officials say the secret to Minnesota's success has been broad cooperation  from law enforcement agencies committing officers, to neighbors understanding the sights and smells of a meth house, to utility companies monitoring for suspicious activity. "Nobody can just say, 'OK, we've taken care of this. Let's move on to something else,' " Vandergriff said. "We have to keep up the pressure." Jeremy Olson can be reached at 651-228-5583. 19 The percentage decline in meth arrests from 2005 to 2006 15 Percentage decline in the number of Minnesota inmates imprisoned on meth charges from 2006 to 2008 34 Percentage decline in meth addicts in treatment in Minnesota from 2005 to 2007
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New anti-meth ads sell hope
St. Paul, Minnesota, 11/28/07 - Minnesota Public Radio

St. Paul, Minn.  The new campaign is a conscious effort to send a different message about meth addiction. Robert Denniston directs the National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. Denniston says the new message doesn't mean officials are abandoning the old billboards. "Those ads are very hard-hitting, very impactful," says Denniston. "But what we're trying to get across now is that there is progress, that there is hope. So many people are cynical that they think well meth is so horrible, it's so addictive that recovery is not possible. We know from the research that it is possible. And these photographs of people here today really give living proof to that view." Denniston is referring to a photographic exhibit that's part of the new anti-meth campaign. It shows smiling, healthy-looking people who have successfully overcome their addictions. Catherine Stone is in one of the photographs. She started using meth when she was 19 and didn't quit until she got arrested at age 28 for dealing the drug. "I wouldn't even recognize the person that I was," says Stone. "It got way out of control, where I would steal your wallet and help you go look for it. You know I was a mean, mean lady." Stone spent 18 months in prison. Now she lives in a so-called "sober house" in south Minneapolis where she's on a strictly supervised prison release program. Stone says she hasn't used meth in three years. "If you want to change your life you can change your life. You know it's not out of grasp," says Stone. That's exactly the message officials hope to convey with their new anti-meth campaign. Carol Falkowski directs the Chemical Health Division at the Minnesota Department of Human Services. She says meth addictions can be very powerful. But she says meth recovery programs have about the same success rate as other addiction programs. "One of the things that people don't always realize is that treatment sometimes needs to be repeated. Sometimes multiple treatment episodes are the norm rather than the exception when it comes to addiction. And that's true with meth. It's true with alcohol. It's true with many drugs," says Falkowski. There are signs that meth use is declining in Minnesota. Falkowski says meth-related deaths are down. So are the number of people being hospitalized and treated for meth. "We have seen sort of a peak and a decline since the beginning of '06 in the number of people seeking treatment for meth which we hope reflects a decline in the number of actual users of meth." Falkowski says she thinks the state's aggressive public awareness campaign about the dangers of meth has helped curb the drug's use, along with a recent state law restricting sales of pseudoephedrine, a meth-making chemical. She credits that law with dramatically reducing the number of meth labs in the state. But she acknowledges that there's still a lot of work to be done. Meth use among Minnesota's young adult population is about twice the U.S. national average. And while the number of labs in Minnesota may be declining, meth coming from Mexico is still the main source of drugs for Minnesota addicts.
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Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation
Lovell, WY, 11/5/07 - The Lovell Chronicle

A representative from the Wyoming Division of Criminal Investigation told a story of increased prescription drug abuse in northwest Wyoming at a Drug Enforcement Task Force Meeting Tuesday, Oct. 23, the New Horizons Care Center. DCI northwest team supervisor Steve Herrmann talked about the "steep decline" of meth use since approximately August 2006 and the recent increase of prescription drug abuse trends. "[Meth users] have switched their appetites," Herrmann said. "They're more than happy to take the pills when meth isn't available." "They think its prescription medicine, they think they can't get addicted to it, they think it won't kill them, and that's so far from the truth," Herrmann said, pointing to more than six deaths related to prescription medication in Park County in the past 18 months. Big Horn County Sheriff Ken Blackburn added that two recent BHC deaths showed preliminary evidence of prescription drug abuse. "When we do meth busts, we use the gram dealer to get the ounce dealer and we use the ounce dealer to get the pound dealer and then we start to identify who's bringing the meth into the area," Herrmann said. He said many meth cases are traced back to Mexico and end up in federal court. With the pill problem, DCI is tracing sources back to a pharmacy, and usually cases involve only a few people. He pointed out that DCI does not blame people in the medical community, but rather the drug seekers who are constantly looking for a weak spot in the armor. Herrmann said though most meth users tend to be toward the bottom of the economic ladder, pill abusers are much more wide-ranging. "We're running across everything from your typical meth offender to medical professionals who are having problems with these [pills]." The most common painkillers, Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, are schedule II drugs, the same category as amphetamines and cocaine for the same reasons, "it'll get you high and it'll get you hooked," Herrmann said. The pills generally go for $1 per milligram on the street. Herrmann said a computer network between pharmacies and doctors to examine patients' suspicious behavior and past prescriptions would be a useful tool in curbing some of the methods pill abusers use to obtain prescription drugs, like doctor shopping. Several at the meeting agreed and mentioned they currently implement similar networks in other states. The northwest division of DCI covers investigations in Big Horn, Park, Washakie, Hot Springs and Fremont Counties, but Herrmann said the problem exists in other areas of the state and predicts that it will become more identified in the next six months. Physicians assistant Ken Ferbrache agreed, pointing out that more seminars and information about pain pill abuse are becoming available in the medical community. Ferbrache reported that North Big Horn Hospital lawyer Tracy Copenhaver has redrafted the hospital's pain contracts, which the hospital recently started using to keep tabs on pain patients by making them subject to random pill counts and holding them accountable for any discrepancy in the number of pills they have. The contract would allow patients to consent for law enforcement officials to visit for a pill count if the patient is unable to come to NBHH. Sheriff Blackburn suggested that law enforcement officials should have pictures and detailed information about the pills to be sure they are counting the correct ones, and not a look a like. DETF members discussed educating the public about pill storage and disposal and handing out informational pamphlets with painkiller prescriptions. Lovell Police Chief Nick Lewis reported he wrote a letter to a Wyoming business, soliciting them to donate $24,000 for the implementation of a 10-person pilot program that would combine counseling, pain contracts and the use of the receptor-blocking drug Suboxone to help addicted people get clean. He has not heard back from the company at this time. Lewis also recommended that everyone bring goals to the next meeting and discuss and prioritize the goals. We need to make this meeting productive, Lewis said. I think goals and an agenda would give us direction. Steve Herrmann commended the DETF, "I think you guys are going down the right path," he said, having attended meetings himself regularly. Everything we do is going to make some kind of impact.
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Ephedrine Sales Records Not Being Reviewed
Austin TX, 11/5/07 - The Austin American Statesman

Lawmakers have touted restrictions on sales of cold medicines containing ephedrine as a necessary price for preventing homegrown methamphetamine labs, but Texas officials say police aren't following through on monitoring sales of medications that could be used to make meth. The Austin American-Statesman reported Nov. 4 that Texas and federal law requires that buyers of drugs containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine -- which can be used to make meth -- must sign a log detailing their purchase. The log is intended to prevent multiple purchases of the drug, but many police and sheriffs agencies now say they don't have time to review the records, blaming the absence of a centralized database of the information. Currently, each Texas drug store keeps its own logs. The number of meth labs in Texas has appeared to drop off sharply, but police believe that some drug-makers are still traveling from store to store to buy ephedrine-based drugs to make meth. "It's a real good tool," said Capt. Dwight Hardin of the Burnet County Sheriff's Department. "Unfortunately, the Legislature did not help fund the enforcement of it. They left it to local agencies and law enforcement to develop their own databases." But Texas Rep. Leo Berman, an author of the state's meth law, said, "We're not thinking of doing anything more statewide. The statewide database would be costly."
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Cold medicine harder to find after meth law
Everett, Washington, 8/22/07 - HearldNet

There were nearly 500 stores in the county licensed to sell cold and allergy medicines when the law went into effect in 2006. Now only 27 stores that don't have pharmacies inside still carry the restricted remedies. "It's really become a pharmacy-only product," said Jim Doll, a pharmacist inspector with the state Board of Pharmacy. None of the county's 117 pharmacies have quit selling the products. Manufacturers have responded to tighter restrictions by marketing a replacement decongestant called phenylephrine that cannot be made into meth, Doll said. Small stores and gas stations that once stocked a couple of boxes of cold medicine have opted to pull the products from the shelves to avoid the hassle, said Jan Teague, president and CEO of the Washington Retail Association. "It's a big burden," Teague said. "They don't want to offend or upset their customers so a lot of smaller stores have quit selling them." The idea behind the law was to make it tougher for people to obtain large quantities of cold and allergy remedies that contain chemicals that can be used to make meth. A similar federal law was passed last year. Under the law, business owners must lock up over-the-counter products that contain ephedrine, pseudoephedrine and phenylpropanolamine. The law also limits the number of boxes people can buy in a 24-hour period. It requires customers to show photo identification and sign a logbook. Those records are available for police to inspect. The decline in stores carrying cold medicine is drastic but it's not a surprising outcome, Teague said. "It's pretty typical of over-regulation. The question has to be asked if it's helping anyone," she said. Drug detectives here believe it is. The new law has contributed to the drop in homemade methamphetamine and makeshift labs, said Pat Slack, the commander of the Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force. That means less hazardous waste in neighborhoods. Local labs were steadily declining before the law was put into effect. The majority of meth is being imported from superlabs typically run by Mexican drug organizations. Demand for meth remains high. "What we're doing here has little to do with the addiction. It's more about the quality of life when we cut down on labs and toxic waste dumping," Slack said. Police say the drop in cold medicine vendors helps them better hunt for illegal purchases. "From our position in 2006 we had over 600 sources for these drugs," Slack said. "Now we're down to a manageable level." The Snohomish Regional Drug Task Force is one of only a couple police agencies in the state that has been aggressively monitoring the logbooks, according to the state Attorney General's Office. The drug task force has shown state legislators how the law works now and possible changes that could help track illegal transactions. "The law needs to be changed and addressed so it's consistent," Slack said. The state Board of Pharmacy, working with police, prosecutors and retailers, is studying the law. The board is expected to present its findings to the Legislature in November. The county drug task force has suggested that all transactions be tracked electronically and a state database be developed to give police real-time information about purchases. As it stands now, police see the logs only about once a month. The task force has inspected thousands of purchases at the county's 117 pharmacies and identified nearly 60 people buying cold medicine over their limit. A handful had been victims of identity theft. Others were buying larger quantities for their families. A couple people were using cold medicine for weight loss. One person bought more than allowed just to defy the law, Slack said. About 34 people have been identified as repeat offenders. The majority of those people have been arrested on various charges. There were 1,400 suspicious sales in Snohomish County in January 2006. That dropped to 10 in May. The decline has task force detectives looking elsewhere in meth cases. The task force just recently inspected the small stores and gas stations. That's when detectives discovered the huge decline in stores selling cold medicine. It also was discovered that many nonpharmacy stores still selling the cold and allergy remedies were not following the law. Only 7 out of 27 were in compliance, according to the task force. Pharmacy inspector Doll checked the stores, too. He declined to discuss what he found or whether any action will be taken against the business owners. He said the state Board of Pharmacy has been providing shopkeepers and pharmacies with technical assistance. "The intent wasn't to take away business from anyone, but we wanted to protect the citizens," Doll said.
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Crystal meth linked to Parkinson's type brain damage
8/22/07 - Internet

The crystal drug destroys nerve cells that produce dopamine. These are directly related to movement control. The Class A 'party drug' is an extremely powerful and addictive stimulant. It can cause a rapid heart rate, paranoia, confusion and violence. It also increases the risk of stroke, lung and kidney damage. It was previously thought that crystal meth, known as methamphetamine, led to short-term psychotic behaviour but did not have an effect after users stopped using it. But research leader Dr Jacqueline McGinty said the findings were worrying as the drug posed "long-term public health consequences." She said the negative effects of the drug might not be apparent until decades after a person has used it. There has already been an explosion of crystal meth addiction in the U.S and celebrities such as lead-singer Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas has had a well publicised battle with the drug. Doctors have warned it may only be a matter of time before the drug creates such an epidemic in the UK. The work at the Medical University of South Carolina was supported by the U.S Army and the National Institutes of Health. The research was published in The Journal of Neuroscience. British watchdog Drugscope claimed the lab findings were inconclusive.
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Behavioral Consequences Manifest In Later Life After Meth Exposure In Youth And Early Adulthood
8/22/07 - Medical News Today

"The emergence of behavioral deficits in animals months after methamphetamine discontinuation may be relevant to human methamphetamine abusers," says Nora Volkow, MD, director of the National Institute for Drug Abuse. "It suggests that even though their current use may not result in deficits, as they age these deficits will become manifest." Volkow did not participate in the study. The new work examines the idea that methamphetamine puts young users at risk of developing deficits later in life that are symptomatic of Parkinson's disease in individuals with depletion of glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), a protein that protects and repairs dopamine in areas of the brain related to movement control. Loss of nerve cells that produce dopamine is a major factor in the disease. In their work, published in The Journal of Neuroscience, Jacqueline McGinty, PhD, at the Medical University of South Carolina, and her colleagues examined the role of GDNF in mice. At 2.5 months of age, the equivalent of adolescence in humans, mice with a partial GDNF gene deletion were compared to mice without the gene deletion; both were given either methamphetamine or saline injections four times over an eight-hour period. McGinty's team discovered that the effects of this methamphetamine binge were exacerbated in the mice with the GDNF deletion. In addition, at 12 months, the GDNF-depleted mice moved significantly less than genetically normal mice treated with methamphetamine. "Methamphetamine intoxication in any young adult may have deleterious consequences later in life, although they may not be apparent until many decades after the exposure," says McGinty. "These studies speak directly to the possibility of long-term public health consequences resulting from the current epidemic of methamphetamine abuse among young adults." Future studies might involve identifying the reasons for increased vulnerability to methamphetamine in GDNF-depleted mice in order to help minimize the harm methamphetamine causes to the brain.. ---------------------------- Article adapted by Medical News Today from original press release. ---------------------------- The work was supported by the U.S. Army and the National Institutes of Health. The Journal of Neuroscience is published by the Society for Neuroscience, an organization of more than 36,500 basic scientists and clinicians who study the brain and nervous system. Source: Sara Harris Society for Neuroscience
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Man who documented meth use dies at 35
St. Louis, MO, 3/27/07

A former trucker whose documentary chronicled an agonizing descent as methamphetamine ravaged his body has died, optimistic to the end that his story would keep others from the highly addictive stimulant. "He was extremely satisfied, wanting to do more in getting the word out and showing kids what meth harm does. We didn't get to that point," his father, Jack Bridges, said shortly after the 35-year-old died Monday at a hospital in Cape Girardeau. "He didn't want anyone to go through what he did," his father said. Shawn Bridges drew global attention last year for "No More Sunsets," a 29-minute film shot by a former southern Illinois television videographer at Bridges' request. By his family's account, Bridges already had died at least twice, his heart so damaged by years of using meth -- a concoction that can include toxic chemicals such as battery acid, drain cleaner and fertilizer -- that it stopped and had to be shocked back into beating. The documentary shows Bridges mostly bedridden, his constant companions a catheter and feeding tube. "I'd say he's got a 34-year-old body on the outside with a 70- to 80-year-old man on the inside," his father told The Associated Press last May. Roughly 28,000 people sought treatment for meth addiction across the country in 1993, accounting for nearly 2 percent of admissions for drug-abuse care, according to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Just a decade later, the meth-related admissions numbered nearly 136,000 -- more than 7 percent of the national total for drug-abuse treatment. Family members have said Bridges had been haunted by the dreary day in 1976 when his younger brother Jason, barely a year old, died in a car wreck. Bridges was 4 and nowhere near the accident but still blamed himself, wanting to trade places with his dead sibling, his father said. A lenient upbringing set Bridges on the road to becoming "a little monster," his father said. "By 16, the kid was a high school dropout and partier." At 26, Bridges had a heart attack that his father blamed on meth's ability to damage a chronic user's heart and other internal organs. Bridges learned he had congestive heart failure. Twice, he tried to kill himself, according to family members. During his final months in a hospital bed, Bridges' words slurred to guttural sounds when he tried to talk. At times, he spit up blood, and his weight fell dangerously when he couldn't keep food down. His father said Monday that Bridges developed a urinary tract infection shortly before he died. "I don't think people will forget what got him to this point," said Chip Rossetti, who filmed the documentary. "But what he did with his condition is really the amazing thing." Rossetti said 500 to 600 copies of the documentary have been sold, some going as far as Australia. Bridges was also profiled on German television. Rossetti said Monday he plans a sequel, chronicling Bridge's final year and testimonials by people touched by his awareness effort. "We wanted to keep him with us a lot longer, but we appreciate God's good grace," Jack Bridges said after his son's death. "We'll still be trying to drive home the point that these drugs are poison, and that people using them are heading the same place Shawn has gone."
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Despite illness, mom is still fighting meth
Twin Falls, Idaho, 9/27/06 - The Time News - Cassidy Friedman

TWIN FALLS  If meth is the tortoise, Pam Green is the hare. It was not until late in life that she decided to focus on tackling drugs. But now that shes doing it, the chapter head of Mad Mothers Against Methamphetamine says nothing can break her course. Not even a near-fatal health attack from which she is recovering. The recently appointed Idaho Drug Czar Jim Tibbs spoke in Twin Falls on Monday morning. While Green listened to him, her brain fried from a 103-degree temperature. Even if that fever does not break today, Green, the mothers and all interested members of the public plan to meet this evening at their new location in Twin Falls. I wasnt going to miss meeting the drug czar, Green said. I cant afford to just sit around here. Ive got to hit while the iron is hot &isnt that how it goes? New plans are on the rise. The mothers are pushing for Meth Watch to come to Idaho. According to its mission statement, Meth Watch is designed to help curtail the theft and suspicious sales of pseudoephedrine products and other ingredients and to promote cooperation between retailers and law enforcement to prevent the diversion of legitimate products for illegal use. I hit every politician with (the idea) that was at the fair, Green said. Eighteen states have incorporated models that resemble the Meth Watch prototype developed in Kansas. Idaho has taken some measures of its own. On July 1, House Bill 530 went into effect restricting the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine. Green said the program has reportedly been effective in other states. But its got to be in the whole state to work, she said.
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Man arrested for Meth
Salina, KS, 9/22/06 - KSAL Web Link

A Salina man was arrested by the I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force Thursday after allegedly selling methamphetamine to an undercover officer. Salina Deputy Police Chief Mike Marshall says that 34-year-old Refugio Hernandez-Velasquez sold meth to the undercover officer on three different occasions. The alleged drug deals were all made at Velasquez's home at 721 West Cloud Street #29. Marshall adds that a 14-year-old boy who acted as a translator during the drug deals could also face charges. Velasquez was booked into the Saline County Jail on multiple charges that could include the sale of meth along with child endangerment charges.
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Law Enforcement Survey: Meth is Primary Drug Problem
Associated Press, 7/19/06 - Sam Hananel

Meth abuse continues to fuel an increase in crimes like robbery and assault, straining the workload of local police forces despite a drop in the number of meth lab seizures, according to a survey Tuesday. Nearly half of county law enforcement officials consider methamphetamine their primary drug problem, more than cocaine, marijuana and heroin combined, the survey of the National Association of Counties found. "Abuse of this highly addictive brain-altering drug continues to destroy lives and strain essential county services across America," said Bill Hansell, the association's president and commissioner of Umatilla County, Ore. The survey of 500 county law enforcement officials in 44 states showed that about half reported a decrease in the number of meth lab busts as a result of laws that restrict the sale of cold medicines with precursor ingredients used in the manufacture of meth. That's consistent with federal figures released last month showing a 30 percent drop in the number of labs seized nationwide. But county officials said supply of the drug remains high from superlabs in California and Mexico. About half the counties reported that one in five inmates are jailed because of meth-related crimes like robberies and burglaries. Another 17 percent of counties reported that one in two inmates are incarcerated for meth-related activity. Hansell called on Congress to develop a comprehensive strategy to deal with the meth problem that includes more funding for anti-drug task forces, drug prevention campaigns, treatment programs and cleanup of toxic chemicals used to make meth. Last month, the White House drug-policy office set a goal to cut meth use by 15 percent over the next three years and increase seizures of meth labs by 25 percent. Hansell also urged federal lawmakers to reject a Bush administration proposal to eliminate the Justice Assistance Grant program, which funds drug task forces around the country. That call was echoed by local law enforcement officials at a news conference to announce the survey. "It makes absolutely no sense to fight a war on drugs, then reduce the funding when you're in the midst of battle," said Oklahoma County Sheriff John Whetsel. About 1,000 of the 2,800 inmates in the Oklahoma County jail are incarcerated for meth-related crimes, he said. The survey, taken at the end of June, is based on a random sample of sheriffs or police chiefs in 500 of the nation's 3,066 counties. The association does not reveal the identity of the counties because it would discourage them from responding freely, said Jacqueline Byers, NACo's director of research.
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Meth Funding Restored
Salina, KS, 6/29/06 - KSAL Web Link

Congressman Jerry Moran Wednesday announced success in restoring funding to a grant program that provides Kansas drug and law enforcement officers with the resources and technologies needed to combat meth. Moran and a bipartisan group of lawmakers sponsored an amendment to a 2007 Department of Justice spending bill to restore $50 million, in addition to a previously passed $25 million increase. With the assistance of these funds, last year Kansas law enforcement seized 390 meth labs. The money also helps fund programs such as the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project. Since 2002, KMPP has trained more than 18,000 Kansans to identify and prevent meth abuse and has distributed more than 100,000 tamper tags and tank decals to deter theft of anhydrous ammonia, a key meth ingredient. In last year's DOJ spending bill, Moran was also successful in obtaining $148,000 to expand the Kansas Bureau of Investigation office in Great Bend to aid in criminal and drug investigations in Kansas. Moran is a member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, which is comprised of lawmakers dedicated to combating the spread of meth in the U.S.
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Meth Pilot Program Garners White House Interest
Tuscon, 6/5/06 - Tuscon Citizen

The Methamphetamine Treatment Center of Excellence of Pima County, Arizona, was deemed "unique in the country" by the Office of National Drug Control Policy office before the unveiling of President Bush's plan to reduce meth use and trafficking, the Tuscon Citizen reported on May 31. Operated by the Community Partnership of Souther Arizona in conjunction with Compass Health Care and La Frontera Center, the new program is the first to use the Matrix model developed in California and adapt it specifically for meth users. The first 24 adults completing the 16-week outpatient program receive a combination of thrice-weekly drug testing, motivational rather than confrontational counseling and housing and employment assistance. Participants also attend up to six and a half hours of group therapy a week and ten individual therapy sessions throughout the program. "We try to move with them rather than against them," said Carmen Carlone, clinical supervisor at La Frontera Center. "If they relapse or use meth, we don't kick them out of the program." The program is funded by $300,000 in state substance abuse treatment funds.
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Methamphetamine, The Global Menace
5/10/06 - Medical News Today

According to Karen Tandy, head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, USA, users of methamphetamine worldwide outnumber the combined total of cocaine and heroine users. Karen Tandy was speaking at the 24th International Drug Enforcement Conference, Montreal, Canada. Methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth' or meth' is an amphetamine, a stimulant. The user has a feeling of total euphoria. Unfortunately, the drug is highly addictive and can lead to serious depression and violence. Ms. Tandy explained that methamphetamine trafficking and the movement of its precursor chemicals are an increasing global threat. Of the 26 million users of amphetamines worldwide, most are taking crystal meth. Ms. Tandy said that perhaps one of the largest meth labs in the world was seized in Indonesia, thanks to the efforts of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and law enforcement in Hong Kong, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia. She added that illegal organizations in Canada and the USA are shipping methamphetamine to Japan. Ms. Tandy said that thanks to efforts by Mexican authorities, precursor chemical imports into Mexico have been reduced by 53%. (Precursor chemicals = In this text, means, chemical ingredients for the making of methamphetamine) Ephedrine trafficking, a precursor chemical for the production of methamphetamine, has been blocked so effectively around the world that traffickers are starting to find new routes to new countries. Ephedrine is being shipped from India and China to South Africa, and from there to Central and South America. Ephedrine from China is making its way to Mexico from Cairo.
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East Palo Alto - Pharmacist wary
East Palo Alto CA, 5/9/06 - San Francisco Chronicle

Anne Trebino figured she was probably dealing with a two-bit rural drug dealer when a customer came in to her Soledad Pharmacy and ordered 10 bottles of Sudafed. He said it was for laborers who worked for his father, but Trebino suspected the pills wouldn't be used to treat colds. The popular over-the-counter cold medicine contains ephedrine, which is the main ingredient in methamphetamine. Pharmacists are well aware that drug dealers and their operatives buy the pills and extract the ephedrine before mixing it with other elements to produce the popular and highly addictive street drug. "I thought he can't be using this for colds. He's got to be involved in a meth lab,'' Trebino, 50, said Monday. "I assumed it was nearby. I didn't want a meth lab in my neighborhood." Trebino told the customer, a man she'd never seen before, that she would have to special-order it and that he could pick it up the next day. As soon as he left the store, Trebino, who has been a pharmacist for nearly 30 years, picked up the phone and called a friend at the Soledad police department. Her hunch led to a monthlong investigation and the discovery that the pills were being transported up Highway 101 to what authorities call a "super lab" inside a home in East Palo Alto. On Friday, 30 officers from a half dozen law enforcement agencies raided the home lab, which had been fortified with concrete cinder blocks, steel doors and metal bars. They arrested six men in connection with the drug operations. The men are being held on bail of more than $5 million each. Authorities said they found an estimated 70,000 pseudo-ephedrine pills, which can make as much as 12 pounds of methamphetamine and would have a street value of $550,000. Police also said they found 5 pounds of methamphetamine, worth $225,000, a pound of cocaine valued at $45,000, and numerous assault rifles and guns. Richard Cox, Soledad's chief of police, said the large quantity of tablets means the suspects were buying the pills from many sources. But Trebino, whom Cox called "tenacious," was the only one who called police. "This is the beauty of a small town. We're not asleep at the switch,'' said Jeff Hoogendyk, who co-owns the pharmacy with Trebino. "You have to be ever vigilant." East Palo Alto police said they do not know how long the lab was operating out of the house on Runnymede Street. But they believe it may have supplied meth users all over Northern California. "I had no idea it was going to be this big,'' Trebino said.
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Chandler limits medicine sales
Chandler, Arizona, 4/12/06 - The Arizona Republic

A citywide restriction on the sale of an over-the-counter cold medicine that can be used as an ingredient to make methamphetamine went into effect Wednesday, forcing Chandler drugstores and their patrons to adjust to the new rules. Pseudoephedrine, and any product containing the drug, has been taken off store shelves in Chandler and put behind pharmacy counters in the hope it will help stop methmakers from buying large quantities of the drug. "I think it's necessary to restrict the drug," said Maria Rodriguez, 35, of Chandler, who was shopping Wednesday at a Walgreen's near Ray Road and Arizona Avenue. advertisement She said she has never had to use a drug containing pseudoephedrine. "It's not too difficult, and meth is a problem." But others who rely on the drug for allergy season or to battle colds and sinus problems are grumbling about the added step they'll have to take. "It's a hassle," said Kathy Weishan, who had stopped at Walgreen's to pick up a prescription. She said she went to Wal-Mart late at night this week to get a cold medicine for her husband, but the store's pharmacy was closed and she couldn't get it from the shelves. "It's a problem when the pharmacy is closed because you have to find a pharmacy that is open." Customers who want to buy the drug must ask for it from a pharmacist and provide information including their name, date of birth, address and driver's license number. "People who come in, they'll have a few snide comments," said Byron Hollis, a pharmacist at Bashas' near Alma School and Queen Creek roads. He said he welcomes the restriction, even if it can be "a bit of a hassle," because it can help curb illegal use, and more customers will have to talk to their pharmacists about what they're buying. "We've known this has been coming for a while," he said. "We are in the drug business, but we are in the legal drug business." City and police officials hope the new restriction that took effect Wednesday will help curb the number of meth labs operating in the city and the use of meth on the streets. Authorities found the largest meth lab in Chandler history in January at a house on Germann Road just east of Alma School Road. It had enough lab equipment to make a pound of meth every 12 hours. A pound of meth has a street value of $8,000. Within the past five years, Chandler police have discovered 38 meth labs within Chandler city limits, Chandler Police Chief Sherry Kiyler said in a draft report to the city. She pushed for the restrictions. She said she would support legislation that would make this type of restriction uniform for every city.
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Anti-smoking drug may cut crystal meth craving
NewScientist.com news service, 3/29/06 - Will Knight

Crystal meth  the commonly used term for methamphetamine  is a cheap and addictive drug that has become a massive problem in the US in recent years. It increases alertness and creates sensations of euphoria in users by stimulating the generation of dopamine and norepinephrine  neurotransmitters within the regions of the brain responsible for feelings of pleasure. Bupropion  the active chemical ingredient found in the nicotine addiction drug, Zyban, as well as the anti-depressant Wellbutrin  was found to reduce the drug-induced high experienced by methamphetamine users and also to lessen their urge to take the drug in response to visual cues, in a study by researchers at the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA). Twenty methamphetamine users were given either 150 milligrams of bupropion twice a day for a week, or a placebo. Subjects were then injected with 30 milligrams of methamphetamine and asked to rate the high they experienced on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most intense imaginable. The users given doses of bupropion reported experiencing a significantly reduced high of, on average, 3 out of 10, compared to 5 out of 10 prior to the treatment. "What we found, which was unexpected, was that it significantly reduced the euphoric effect," Thomas Newton at UCLA, who led the study, told New Scientist. Video footage Bupropion is thought to reduce cravings for nicotine by preventing it from getting into receptive parts of the brain. However, the researchers behind the UCLA study believe it may cut cravings for crystal meth in a different way. The drug inhibits the uptake of dopamine and norepinephrine by brain cells so they stay around longer. This may lessen cravings for crystal meth by decreasing the withdrawal effects normally experienced by users, when the neurotransmitters are taken up by neurons. Crystal meth users given bupropion also reported far less of a craving in response to video footage of actors simulating drug use. Such visual cues would normally be expected to trigger a strong impulse to take the drug. Newton admits there may be confounding factors involved. For example, he says several of the subjects of the trial smoked, and that smoking may act as a cue for methamphetamine use. So bupropion might have had an indirect impact by reducing the subjects craving for nicotine. The group has begun second stage trials and hopes to work out precisely how bupropion may decrease craving among crystal meth users. "These findings may point the way towards medications with even greater potential to be helpful," Newton says.
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Meth Scourge in the Midwest
Kansas City, MO, 3/27/06 - By Gregory S. Reeves, The Kansas City Star

Between 1998 and 2004, 11,859 meth labs were seized in Missouri. Iowa and Kansas ranked second and third, respectively, in the number of meth labs seized as a percentage of households. The rankings were calculated by the Crime Scene KC blog based on statistics in a report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Justice. The report noted that Missouri, in raw numbers of meth lab seizures, ranked second in the nation in those years but received only the 10th-highest level of federal funding to fight meth crime. Missouri's rankings didn't surprise Tom Gentry, veteran meth-lab buster and now a spokesman for Independence police. "We broke the back of the (meth) phenomenon in city limits," Gentry said. "But what we were doing was pushing the labs out into the rural areas." Independence drug-lab seizures rose from 75 in 1996 to 109 in 1997. But a new task force put so much pressure on drugmakers that only 16 labs were busted in 2003, Gentry said. Meth makers also switched to mobile units or "quick cooking" sessions in motels, he said.
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Meth lab bust wakes neighborhood
Denver CO, 3/23/06 - 9NEWS.com

AURORA - Two people were arrested in a meth lab bust following an overnight police operation Thursday. Additional Resources... Police discovered the lab at 750 South Macon and moved in around 10 p.m. Wednesday. At 6:15 a.m. Police used a noise making device to get the suspects out of the house. For others in the neighborhood the sound was a startling wake-up call. "At about 6:15 in the morning I heard a big explosion," Frank Leboeuf said. "I came outside and all the police officers were telling me to get back in, so I didn't know what was going on until I discovered from the police officers a little bit later on it was a meth lab." HazMat crews entered the house after the suspects were taken into custody. They finished their work at the home around 11 a.m. The names of the suspects were not immediately released.
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Idaho - Law will restrict sale of popular cold pills
Boise, Idaho, 3/22/06 - The Idaho Press - Tribune

Stores statewide will have to place tighter controls on the sale of some cold remedies that can be used to make methamphetamine. Gov. Dirk Kempthorne signed a bill into law Tuesday that will restrict the sale of products containing pseudoephedrine, a common nasal decongestant. The law goes into effect July 1. * It requires that retailers ensure that pseudoephedrine medicines are located either in an area where the public is not permitted or inside a locked display case and that sales of the products must be conducted by an employee. No pseudoephedrine products can be sold directly to customers off the shelves. Further, retailers face limits in the amount of pseudoephedrine-containing medication they can sell, and it will be illegal for customers to buy more than a certain amount each month. Store employees can sell no more than 9 grams of pseudoephedrine in a single sale. Thats 300 30-milligram tablets. The Sudafed brand name sells packages of 24, 48 and 96 tablets. It will also be against the law for anyone to buy more than 9 grams of pseudoephedrine in any 30-day period. Violations will be treated as a misdemeanor charge. Purchasers throughout the state will also be required to present government-issued photo identification, typically a drivers license, when buying these products. Canyon County and several Treasure Valley cities have already set restrictions on pseudoephedrine sales. Local ordinances that are more restrictive than the state law remain in effect. Local police say methamphetamine trafficking is the most-serious crime problem facing Canyon County, leading to an array of drug-related violent and property crimes. Sponsors of the statewide bill in the Legislature included Sen. John McGee of Caldwell, Sen. Patti Anne Lodge of Huston and Rep. Bob Ring of Caldwell. All local lawmakers voted in favor of the measure, which passed 69-1 in the House and 33-1 in the Senate. In signing the bill, Kempthorne said it will protect citizens by ensuring that a key ingredient of methamphetamine is kept behind store shelves and out of reach of those who want to suffocate our communities with this scourge. The governors staff released information indicating that Idaho has shut down more than 760 labs in seven years, an average of two labs every week since Kempthorne took office. Law enforcement officers throughout the Treasure Valley have pushed for tighter controls on pseudoephedrine sales, saying that it has been too easy for meth manufacturers to obtain large quantities of the ingredient. Eminent domain restricted Gov. Dirk Kempthorne also signed into law Tuesday a bill that limits the use of eminent domain for economic development purposes. It was prompted by last years U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave governments the ability to take private property from one party and give it to another for private economic activity. The new law provides limitations on the use of eminent domain for private parties, urban renewal or economic development purposes.
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Fighting meth can take toll on health
Charleston West Virgina, 3/21/06 - Charleston Daily Mail

But police still face serious dangers when they encounter a meth lab. According to a recent story by KSL-TV in Salt Lake City, as many as 84 Utah police officers are sick, dying or dead. Doctors there said the only common link seems to be meth. Utah officers who began investigating meth labs in the 1980's have developed liver, kidney and esophageal cancers, strokes and other health problems, according to news reports. West Virginia law enforcement agencies have yet to report such staggering statistics, although the side effects reportedly can go undetected for years. Kanawha County Sheriff Mike Rutherford said two deputies have been hospitalized with minor throat and lung irritation since January 2005. They were treated and quickly returned to work. But Sgt. Mike Wolfe of Charleston's Metro Drug Unit has experienced lasting respiratory problems in recent years that might be attributed to his work with meth since 2001. Wolfe, the unit's site safety officer for meth labs, estimates he has inspected about 400 scenes since that time after a spike in lab busts last year. While he is unsure if his health problems are due to meth, he now carries an inhaler to help him breath at times. "I didn't have any breathing problems before I started this (job)," Wolfe said. "Now I have acquired a bit of a breathing problem, although it's just sporadic. The doctor can't link it to the lab, but I would be the only guy on the team that might be suffering some type of exposure to labs." In most cases, police will contact specially trained officers to properly investigate a meth scene and handle the numerous chemicals used to make the drug. The State Police, Kanawha County Sheriff's Department and Metro Drug Unit all have special task forces to conduct meth lab investigations. Those units and other officers inadvertently exposed to meth are required to submit to a yearly physical. "I've been in (about) 80 meth labs and smelled some things, but never suffered from any of the effects," State Police Lt. Mike Goff said. "Long-term, you never know, but it doesn't appear I've ever suffered lasting effects. I take personal precautions, and so do most guys I'm around because we know how dangerous this stuff is." But sometimes police will stumble across an unexpected lab while responding to another call. Officers lacking proper equipment are trained to quickly detain suspects before backing out and securing the scene, although they can be exposed to the area for as long as five minutes, Wolfe said. Goff said that is why the specialized units are so important in fighting meth. "The danger is exposure over a very long period of time," Goff said. "We should never have those sort of effects even in our line of work." Officers are certified to deal with meth on different levels ranging from knowing how to identify the drug to collecting evidence to cleaning up a scene. Police usually outsource the cumbersome cleanup to companies that routinely handle dangerous chemicals. The departments that most frequently investigate meth labs also have a variety of equipment to keep their officers safe. Rubber gloves and plastic booties that go over shoes are the simplest forms of protection. Many officers will also use air-purifying respirators, which the sheriff's department began purchasing for many of its deputies last April. "When we started the tip line, we began reading up on everything we could get our hands on," Rutherford said. "We're learning something new every day about meth. Luckily, we haven't had any major problems with it because we got good information on it quickly." Wolfe said he has sometimes smelled or tasted the toxic fumes even while wearing the respirator. If a lab was recently active, police will wear a plastic and cloth suit that completely covers their body. Wolfe said they wear fire resistant clothing underneath the suit in case of an explosion or a "flash fire" from the volatile chemicals. They also will use a self-contained breathing system in the most extreme situations to seal out any bad air. "We've been told that the equipment that we have is more than suitable," Rutherford said. "But we're always concerned because they're still doing a lot of studies and we don't have all the facts." While Wolfe believes he's been careful about protecting himself, he still wonders if his health problems will escalate. "It's not a problem I deal with every day," Wolfe said. "But it's always in the back of your mind if it is the cause or not."
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Saline County Meth Arrest
Salina, KS, 3/13/06 - KSAL Radio

The I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force arrested a Saline County man Saturday evening for allegedly making methamphetamine. Task Force Commander Lt. Mike Sweeney says they were given a tip about a possible meth lab at 3300 North Holmes Road, and served a search warrant there around 5:30 Saturday evening. Inside the home they found tin foil with burnt meth residue, and items used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. More meth residue and meth ingredients were found in two outbuildings on the property. Sweeney says there was not a meth cook going on at the time, but the necessary equipment and ingredients were in place. Arrested was 41-year-old Kenneth Edwards on charges including manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of anhydrous ammonia, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
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Combating meth
Salina, KS, 3/11/06 - Salina Journal By DARRIN STINEMAN

President Bush called the drug a scourge, the nations drug enforcement chief has termed its use an epidemic, and Salina Police Chief Jim Hill says its the most dangerous drug in America. Still, methamphetamine hadnt been a major target in the federal governments war on drugs until the president on Thursday signed the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, which among other things, will restrict the sale of ingredients used to make meth. Rep. Jerry Moran, R-Kan., a member of the Congressional Caucus to Fight and Control Methamphetamine, was in Salina Friday morning to announce the news. My real reason for being here, in addition to passage of this legislation, is to commend and congratulate and to encourage the local officials who are trying to make a difference in this battle, Moran told a small gathering of government, law enforcement and social service workers at the Central Kansas Foundation for Alcohol and Chemical Dependency, 1805 S. Ohio. We are going to change this world one person at a time, not with some piece of legislation in Topeka or Washington, he said. We can help, but the things we do in our communities really do make the difference. The real battle will be won because of the people in this room making a difference. Hill, noting that Kansas already restricts the sale of medicines that contain meth ingredients, said the federal law will prevent producers from going to other states to get them. Rather than have piecemeal legislation among the states, this is going to bring it all under the federal umbrella and make the same requirements for every state, Hill said, so thats going to be a benefit to us. Salina a drug center Even though local drug-enforcement officers are finding fewer meth labs in the Salina area  they seized 120 in 2000 and 2001 versus 14 in 2005  the problem is not going away, Hill said. Were not seeing methamphetamine arrests go down at all, he said. The number of labs have fallen off precipitously, but the arrests and the amount of methamphetamine we have in our community has not really fallen off. Were a drug distribution center for north-central Kansas. The majority of the methamphetamine consumed in this community is coming from Mexico. Last year, Salina drug task force members were involved in shutting down a drug pipeline from Mexico that resulted in 21 federal convictions and the dismantling of two drug organizations, Hill said. Battles just starting The new legislation includes $585 million for law enforcement, training and research on treatment and includes a penalty of up to 20 years in prison for people who sell or cook meth in a home where a child lives. Hopefully, some of those resources will come to Kansas, and we can look at expanding the effort beyond just the issue of children being around methamphetamine labs, said Cristi Cain, coordinator of the Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project in Topeka. Wed like to expand it to help children in other meth environments, because of the profound neglect that occurs in these environments. Although the legislation is important, Hill said it doesnt represent and end, but a beginning. The battle against methamphetamine just started, Hill said. Were nowhere close to solving it.
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Efforts rewarded
Wichita KS, 3/8/06 - KSN TV

WICHITA, Kansas, Mar 08, 2006 -- The states war on meth is getting high marks from the White House. On Tuesday, the deputy drug czar visited Kansas, praising our new meth laws. The timing is appropriate as President Bush is about to sign the Patriot Act. That legislation includes a Combat Meth Act that is similar to a Kansas state law that limits the amount of pseudoephedrine people can buy and place those drugs behind the counter. Four law enforcement officers in the state received awards on behalf of Scott Burns, deputy director of national drug control policy in the Bush administration. Some received the award for their work on state laws combating meth while others received it for organizing Meth Watch, a program that has now gone nationwide. While officials say meth is not the most widely used drug in the nation but it is still a problem. "Its because it is the singular worst drug in the U.S. It destroys users, families and communities," said Burns. Plus, cleanup of the labs is dangerous and cost millions. But the state law is working. In 2004, agents seized 583 labs while in 2005 that number fell to 390. An even larger drop came after the law went into effect in July of 2005. "It doesnt take much of a math major to see were on the right track," said Larry Welsh, director, Kansas Bureau of Investigation. "Its having the influence we anticipated." Now that the number of labs is down, law enforcement can focus on cracking down on drug cartels and trafficking of meth into the state from Mexico. A survey of Kansas students also supports the argument that the war on meth is working. From 1997 to 2005, students that said they had used meth at least once in their lifetime dropped. In 1997, nearly seven percent of Sedgwick County students and more than five percent of students across the state answered yes. Last year that number dropped dramatically to roughly three percent in both Sedgwick County and on the state level. But officials say in rural areas say the numbers still show a problem. "There are some really high numbers," said Cristi Caine, Kansas Methamphetamine Prevention Project. "Some rural communities have up to 18% of their seniors in high school have tried meth which is a real concern." Officials say more work needs to be done. Right now they are pushing for a state law in Kansas that would monitor sales of pseudoephedrine so criminals couldnt jump from pharmacy to pharmacy to buy the drugs. And a new report out Tuesday found that crimes involving meth nationwide are growing at an alarming rate. Authorities reported six million crimes in 2004, doubling from 2002.
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City Hopes Signs Will Stop Meth
Wichita, KS, 2/25/06 - KAKE TV News

February 24 - Kansas communities are looking for ways to crackdown on meth use. Now law enforcement is using a new tool to raise meth awareness in cities like El Dorado. This week, El Dorado Street Superintendent Jason Hughey is putting up new signs around the city. They're not that large and have a simple message, "Meth Watch Program." The city is putting the signs at all the main entrances into town, near most of the schools and most of the busier roads. El Dorado has had it's share of meth users and the labs. Police, with the help of the state health department, hope these signs and related public awareness helps in the battle against meth use. Recently, public awareness helped find a meth lab at an El Dorado home. Ammonia vapors drew the attention of neighbors who alerted authorities. The meth lab was discovered and an arrest made. Besides the signs, police are also making merchants aware of the ingredients meth lab users will buy from them to make meth. They're also hoping to play on meth users' increased sense of paranoia. They're hoping even small signs make them feel watched, make them feel unwanted and make them leave the area.
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Girl Brings Meth to School
Topeka, KS, 2/15/06 - WIBW TV

Police say a 12-year-old eastern Kansas girl brought methamphetamine to her school last week and gave it to a classmate. Ottawa Police Captain Randy Allen says the girl was arrested and taken into juvenile custody, and three adults were also placed under arrest. He said the girl was found to have a ``sizable quantity'' of meth, but he wasn't sure of the exact amount. Police were sent to Ottawa Middle School last Thursday after a student became sick to her stomach. Ottawa Schools Superintendent Jan Collins had no comment, but police said they plan to meet with school officials to decide what to do if an incident such as last week's happens again. Allen says pre-teen drug possession is not surprising to police. He says, The public doesn't have any idea how widespread drug usage is.
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Topeka Meth Lab Arrest
Topeka, KS, 2/11/06 - WIBW TV

The discovery of a meth lab in Topeka has landed one man behind bars and it all started with a fire call. Firefighters first put out the fire then found the lab around 4pm yesterday setting off a drug bust in the Capital City. 13 News was the only news outlet there as narcotics officers busted the lab at 335 Southwest Clay. Topeka Police Narcotics Officer Doug Garman explained, "Items of the lab were discovered in every room of the residence bedroom closet as well as in the living room and kitchen." He says what police uncovered isn't unusual. "The meth lab last night is not very uncommon in Kansas what we considered a mom and pop lab a basic meth lab." Police arrested the man who rents the upstairs apartment, 29-year old Chris Ruby for manufacturing meth. A day after the bust the shock begins to set in for neighbors. "I don't know I thought we had a good guy living next door, he had everyone fooled," said Malinda Kufahl. Thursday afternoon she called Ruby to tell him his apartment was on fire. "He didn't sound as frantic like I thought he should. He said oh no like he knew something was going to happen other than the fire like he knew he was going in trouble," said Kufahl. Malinda says Ruby has a six year old son who stayed there on the weekends. "He's got his own special little room up there so what's he going to think of his daddy," said Kufahl. As the pieces come together neighbors are too shocked at what was living in their neighborhood. "We live just a block and a half from the elementary school and he's putting the neighborhood in danger and his own kid." Fire investigators say the meth lab didn't cause the fire. The caus
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Salina Man Arrested for Meth after chase
Salina, KS, 2/6/06 - KSAL Radio

A man involved in a high speed chase in Saline County Friday afternoon, wound up being arrested for possible meth making. Lt. Mike Sweeney, Commander of the I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force says 30-year-old Richard Wilson was arrested after he lost control following a pursuit that reached speeds of 100 miles per hour. The chase began at Diamond Drive and Tressin Road. He then went east onto I-70, then headed north on Ohio Street. The chase ended at K-140 and Lightville Road. Sweeney says meth making equipment and two grams of meth that were thrown from the vehicle were found. Also inside the car they found a jar containing pseudo-ephedrine, coffee filters, blister packets with pills, and empty blister packs, a black pouch under the seat containing crushed pills, scales, lithium batteries, a small amount of marijuana, and a prescription medication. Wilson was arrested for numerous drug charges, including the attempted manufacture of meth, and traffic violations. Also, a Saline County Sheriff's Deputy found remnants of a meth lab in a culvert Saturday afternoon near the location of where that chase that began Friday afternoon. A propane tank, glass jars, and a five gallon bucket were found in the 1800 block of Tressin Road. The items were turned over the Emergency Management for disposal.
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Exploding camper was meth lab
Salina, KS, 2/1/06 - Salina Journal

A methamphetamine lab exploded in a camping trailer in rural Saline County early Tuesday, causing a fire that destroyed the trailer, officials said.

No one was injured, and no arrests had been made by Tuesday afternoon.

Capt. Brian Shea of the Saline County Sheriff's Office said someone who lives in the area was walking near the 4800 block of South Woodward Road, about five miles east of Mentor, just after 7 a.m. Tuesday when he heard a popping noise.

"He went over a hill and heard some sort of an explosion," Shea said, then saw a 13-foot, pull-behind camping trailer on fire.

The trailer was parked near a pond, about an eighth of a mile from the road.

The trailer was nearly burned to the ground by the time firefighters arrived, according to Rod Ade, chief of Saline County Rural Fire Department No. 1.

"It was way past fully involved," Ade said. "We put out the grass and the pasture around it. Other than that, there wasn't much we could do."

He said several plastic jugs containing gasoline had melted, and the gasoline was fueling the fire. Firefighters used foam to extinguish the flames.

In addition to the gasoline jugs, Ade said there were small propane bottles in the debris.

Shea said deputies also saw cans of starter fluid.

"It definitely was a meth lab," Shea said.

Officers with the I-135/I-70 Drug Task Force and the Kansas Fire Marshal's Office were called to investigate, Shea said.

Officials with the task force and the fire marshal's office couldn't be reached Tuesday afternoon.
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Meth use hits hospitals hard
Wichita, KS, 1/19/06 - by Jason Kravarik KSN

WICHITA, Kansas, Jan 19, 2006 -- There is new word that the impact of meth is hitting hospitals hard across the nation. Its especially true in some Kansas hospitals. A study released Wednesday merely proves what Kansas hospitals have dealt with for years. It also indicates that the rural meth problem has migrated to larger, city hospitals. An infant was rushed to Riverside Hospital after ingesting an adults methamphetamines. Its an extreme case yet it proves that meth is taking its toll on emergency rooms. "Theyve lost everything for a drug that almost killed their baby," said Dr. Mag Botros, Via Christi St. Francis Hospital. The study, by the National Association of Counties, finds 47% of hospitals report meth as the number one drug sending patients to the emergency room. Via Christi doctors say the burden is more than just dealing with addiction. "Theyre very disruptive. Theyre usually very aggressive and theyre somewhat dangerous to have at times," said Dr. Botros. The fallout is also financial. Nationally, 56% of hospitals say costs have risen because of meth as most meth users lack insurance. "A lot of our resources get drained, and therefore were not able to utilize monies to assist patients who need help with medications, social services types of help." The good news in Kansas, though, is that meth cases are on the decline. Hospitals we checked with say new laws limiting the sale of products used to make meth have had a positive impact in the emergency room. Sedgwick Countys addiction treatment center says alcohol and marijuana are its top cases -- a sign that meth users may not be seeking treatment.
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Meth law's impact lauded
The Wichita Eagle, 1/15/06 - BY STAN FINGER

Kansas' Matt Samuels Law has had a significant impact in reducing the number of methamphetamine labs in Kansas in its first seven months of existence, state and local law enforcement officials say. But one of the places where authorities have noticed little difference is Greenwood County, where Samuels was born and raised -- and where, as the county sheriff, he was shot to death a year ago Thursday at a house being used as a meth lab. More needs to be done, officials say, but the law bearing the sheriff's name is an important first step. "Meth is a dangerous drug that steals a person's soul," Attorney General Phill Kline said. "It's highly addictive, and we must do all we can" to fight it. The law imposes tighter controls on over-the-counter cold medications that are commonly used to manufacture meth. Before the law was passed, it was not unheard of for someone to go in and buy an entire case of cold tablets, said Debra Billingsley, executive secretary of the Kansas Board of Pharmacy. The Samuels Law allows adults to purchase only three boxes of medicines that contain ephedrine and pseudoephedrine from a store within a seven-day period. It also requires customers to show photo ID and sign a register when purchasing the regulated medicines. Fewer meth labs seized The number of meth labs seized fell more than 38 percent from 2004 to 2005, from 583 to 359. More significantly, Kline said, meth lab seizures in the last half of 2004 and the last half of 2005 -- when the Samuels Law was in effect -- fell from 216 to 101, a drop of 53 percent. "What this is," Kline said, "is a tremendous additional tool." Wichita and Sedgwick County both saw meth lab seizures fall dramatically after the law went into effect. Although 28 labs were found in Wichita in 2005, only four were seized in the months after the law took effect, said Capt. Ken Atnip of the special investigations bureau. Sedgwick County sheriff's officers busted seven meth labs in 2003, three in 2004 and two last year. But the real measure of the law is in the reduction of meth dump sites and of thefts of anhydrous ammonia, said Sgt. Greg Pollock of the narcotics and vice section. The number of dump sites found in the county fell from 27 in 2003 to 2 last year, he said. The theft of anhydrous ammonia -- another key ingredient in the manufacture of meth -- fell from 86 in 2004 to 25 last year. Greenwood County still struggles In Greenwood County, where Matt Samuels grew up and became sheriff, it's tougher to see success. The law is still so new, Undersheriff Dick Clark said, "we haven't seen much of an impact." "Meth is definitely a problem, and it will be for some time," Clark said. "We are still finding remnants of labs. We are still finding people who are using and selling." Mindful of the price they paid because of meth, Clark said, Greenwood County residents are keeping a close eye on suspicious activity in the county. "We have a lot of people who are interested in seeing that methamphetamine is eradicated," Clark said. "They're concerned about it. They talk about it all the time to us." Scott Cheever, 23, is charged with Samuels' murder and faces the death penalty. His trial in federal court is set to start in May. Prosecutors say Samuels was killed when he went to serve outstanding warrants on Cheever without realizing he was walking into a meth lab. 'More needs to be done' The new law isn't enough by itself to rid the state of meth, law enforcement officials say. Many addicts have begun buying meth that has been shipped in from Mexico, said Capt. Darrell Haynes, head of the Wichita Police Department's property crimes bureau. To finance their habits, he said, addicts are committing petty crimes. Reno County Sheriff Randy Henderson said some have become "surfers," trying to get around the law by going from store to store to buy three boxes at a time until they have enough to make a batch of meth. "It's just making it more inconvenient for them, but they're still able to do it," Henderson said. "More needs to be done." That includes passing a federal law restricting the sale of ingredients used to make meth, Haynes said. Authorities also want to see a computer database linking pharmacies across the state so they can track buying patterns of customers and spot meth "surfers" and even people who abuse prescription drugs such as painkillers. The technology for such a database already exists and several states have it in place, Billingsley said. Kansas has received a $50,000 federal planning grant for the database, she said. Doctors, pharmacists and others "who have a stake in this" need to draft legislation approving the database, Billingsley said. That likely won't get done until 2007. The KBI had 18 agent positions vacant, Kline said, but filled half of them this month. That includes agents who will work undercover to fight meth. "You can never do enough," Kline said. "Everything takes time... but we have made significant progress."
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Authorities Find Liquid Meth In Mail
Des Moines, IA, 1/3/06 - KCCI.com

AMES, Iowa -- Story County sheriff's deputies said they believe methamphetamine is now being produced as a liquid that can be applied to paper.

Authorities discovered the meth after it was sent through the mail.

Investigators said the drug is typically made so that it can be smoked or injected, but now sheriff's deputies are seeing it in a liquid form.

"We were notified that a package had been sent in the mail. We obtained that package and found what appeared to be a liquid methamphetamine that was applied to the paper," said Capt. Gary Foster, of the Story County Sheriff's Department.

Initial lab tests showed that images printed on a piece of paper contain meth.

"Then all the person has to do is take one of the pieces, tear it out, put it in their mouth and the drug can be ingested in their system in that fashion," Foster said.

The person who wrote the letter makes a direct reference to the handmade stationery on which the letter was written. The letter's author also comments on how the stationery starts "to grow on you" and how she now likes it.

Sheriff's deputies said this is the first time they have found meth in that form.

"Conversations that we've had with some of our other contacts across the state, they're not aware of anything like this. We've contacted other states and other states aren't aware of it either," Foster said.

Foster said it is something they will now have to be aware of.

"Drugs are always changing and people are always finding something newer and better," Foster said.

Sheriff's deputies are continuing to investigate the case and are waiting for test results from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation lab that will help them determine what charges to file.
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