Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Sinus Sufferer or Meth Chef?
Allergy season is here. If you are an allergy sufferer you will find that many decongestants are missing from store shelves this year. Just about anything that contains pseudoephedrine (Sudafed, Tylenol Cold & Sinus, et. al.) has been pulled. You can still get these medications without a prescription, but you will have to show ID and sign for them. This means that you are unlikely to find the decongestants that you need at convenience stores and may have to wait in line at a pharmacy to get them. This is all because pseudoephedrine is a common base for making Methamphetamine. The state imposed inconvenience is annoying, but apparently necessary to in order hamper the production of methamphetamine (commonly known on the street as Meth, Crystal or Crank).
Perhaps a bit of education is in order. Did you know that Kansas is currently one of the nation’s top producers of Methamphetamine? Meth is so prevalent in Kansas that everyone here knows someone who has tried it. Five years ago a study found that 1 in 10 Kansas High School Seniors had tried Methamphetamine. The number has grown. The fresh imbiber may be looking for a way to lose weight, increase stamina or productivity or simply to stay awake on the job. They might obtain it as a pill or as a powder.
Methamphetamine is highly addictive. From the first dose (known as a “bump”), the brain begins to shutdown its production of its natural feel-good chemical Dopamine. This is the physical change that leads to addiction. The mood of the user is lower after the dose wears off than it was before the dose was taken. The next Meth dose becomes the substitute for the Dopamine lowered by the previous dose. And it just goes on and on until the brain is releasing no Dopamine at all. The user will require more and more Meth as time goes by to achieve the same affects. According to the Koch Crime Institute, “It is not uncommon for some users to increase from 5 mg. to 1,000 mg. doses over a one-year period.” Withdrawal can cause severe depression due to lack of Dopamine in the brain. By the time Meth has grabbed them, many users are smoking it or taking it intravenously.
Meth addicts are sickly in appearance. According to The Institute for Governmental Research, "A (methamphetamine) user may exhibit anxiousness; nervousness; incessant talking; extreme moodiness and irritability; purposeless, repetitious behavior, such as picking at skin or pulling out hair; dilated pupils with redness on the iris; sleep disturbances; false sense of confidence and power; aggressive or violent behavior; disinterest in previously enjoyed activities; and severe depression.”
Meth users may also be sweaty, cold and pale as amphetamines constrict blood vessels, and may, in the case of overdose, experience a drop in blood pressure and shock. Meth users become increasingly paranoid and violent with prolonged use. The Drug Enforement Agency reports that Meth use is now a contributing factor in 80-90% of all domestic violence cases.
Meth addiction is on the rise in Kansas, 2nd only to Marijuana use. Meth addicts are likely to be of any age, race, sex or socio-economic background. Knowing the symptoms of methamphetamine use may save the life of a loved one. A fatal heart attack is the natural conclusion to prolonged methamphetamine abuse. Another natural consequence o f Meth use is brain damage. Seizures and psychosis may precede death by weeks or months. Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) of the brains of Meth addicts appear similar to those of Parkinson’s patients.
Meth addicts eventually reach the state of being unemployable. They are unable to focus, behave bizarrely and may be frequently absent from work. Once they lose their job they will start to sell off or trade their assets for the drug. Once they have financially cleaned themselves out, they may turn to theft and or prostitution. Most of the theft in Riley County can be directly traced to drug addiction. The home meth lab is often the result of the meth addict no longer being able to afford to buy it from a dealer weighed against the hassle factor of becoming a burglar or prostitute.
Meth addicts become nomadic. They find themselves unable to keep up with rents, utility bills and collectors. The paranoia that comes with extended use may contribute to this inability to stay put. They may frequently change towns or cross state lines to avoid detection. The mobile meth lab has become increasingly popular. Cooking meth has a very strong chemical odor that would normally be very out of place in a residential area. While rural settings may provide more cover for meth production, Meth addicts who have lost their cars will find such a location difficult to reach.
Besides pseudoephedrine, other compounds common in a batch of meth might be: Alcohol, Ether, Benzene, Toluene/Paint Thinner, Freon, Acetone, Chloroform, Camp Stove Fuel/Coleman Fuel, Starting Fluid, Anhydrous Ammonia, "Heet", White Gasoline, Phenyl-2-Propane, Phenylacetone, Phenylpropanolamine, Iodine Crystals, Red Phosphorous, Black Iodine, Lye (Red Devil Lye), DranoMuriatic/Hydrochloric Acid, Battery Acid/Sulfuric Acid, Epsom Salts, Batteries/Lithium, Sodium Metal, Ephedrine (over-the-counter), Cold Tablets, Bronchodialators, Energy Boosters, Rock Salt, or Diet Aids. (Note the overwhelming presence of heavy metals, carcinogens and corrosive chemicals in the list.)
There is no set recipe. The average Meth cook passes on his recipe to 10 others before he or she retires (Institute for Governmental Research).
Besides the supermarket and hardware store, Meth Chefs frequent rural farms. According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, “Kansas is experiencing a new type of methamphetamine production that uses anhydrous ammonia as one of its main ingredients. Methamphetamine producers are taking containers to CO-OPs to have them filled or they steal it from tanks on privately-owned fields.” Anhydrous ammonia is a widely used source of nitrogen fertilizer. It is a chemical made up of one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen. It is one of the most potentially dangerous chemicals used in agriculture. A pressure can, such as a propane tank, is necessary for containment. Direct inhalation of anhydrous ammonia can be fatal. The KBI is asking that all anhydrous ammonia thefts or obvious tamperings be reported immediately.
What originally came to Kansas with drug dealers from California and Mexico has become a homegrown industry. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually in Kansas on law enforcement, toxic waste clean-up from lab sites, prosecution, incarceration, as well as treatment for indigent addicts directly related to methamphetamine.
A neighborhood watch system is essential to keeping this activity from settling in. Abandoned outbuildings and vehicles should be checked regularly for signs of make-shift lab equipment or empty chemical containers. Personal as well as rental references should be required of all tenants. That anorexic neighbor that can’t stop talking should be observed closely. Constant late night traffic should be considered suspicious. If you suspect drug activity you can report it anonymously online at: http://www.accesskansas.org/drugenforcement/report.html or you can call 1-800-KSCRIME.
So next time you are standing in line, mouth-breathing, waiting to buy that much needed decongestant for your hay-fever, rather than grumbling, consider that this inconvenience may be just the incentive that meth cooks need to leave Kansas. Oklahoma has achieved fair success through this method of restricting access to pseudoephedrine. Its such a little thing but it has the potential to make a great impact. Our naivety is what made the drug dealers comfortable in Kansas, our diligence will make them uncomfortable.
Perhaps a bit of education is in order. Did you know that Kansas is currently one of the nation’s top producers of Methamphetamine? Meth is so prevalent in Kansas that everyone here knows someone who has tried it. Five years ago a study found that 1 in 10 Kansas High School Seniors had tried Methamphetamine. The number has grown. The fresh imbiber may be looking for a way to lose weight, increase stamina or productivity or simply to stay awake on the job. They might obtain it as a pill or as a powder.
Methamphetamine is highly addictive. From the first dose (known as a “bump”), the brain begins to shutdown its production of its natural feel-good chemical Dopamine. This is the physical change that leads to addiction. The mood of the user is lower after the dose wears off than it was before the dose was taken. The next Meth dose becomes the substitute for the Dopamine lowered by the previous dose. And it just goes on and on until the brain is releasing no Dopamine at all. The user will require more and more Meth as time goes by to achieve the same affects. According to the Koch Crime Institute, “It is not uncommon for some users to increase from 5 mg. to 1,000 mg. doses over a one-year period.” Withdrawal can cause severe depression due to lack of Dopamine in the brain. By the time Meth has grabbed them, many users are smoking it or taking it intravenously.
Meth addicts are sickly in appearance. According to The Institute for Governmental Research, "A (methamphetamine) user may exhibit anxiousness; nervousness; incessant talking; extreme moodiness and irritability; purposeless, repetitious behavior, such as picking at skin or pulling out hair; dilated pupils with redness on the iris; sleep disturbances; false sense of confidence and power; aggressive or violent behavior; disinterest in previously enjoyed activities; and severe depression.”
Meth users may also be sweaty, cold and pale as amphetamines constrict blood vessels, and may, in the case of overdose, experience a drop in blood pressure and shock. Meth users become increasingly paranoid and violent with prolonged use. The Drug Enforement Agency reports that Meth use is now a contributing factor in 80-90% of all domestic violence cases.
Meth addiction is on the rise in Kansas, 2nd only to Marijuana use. Meth addicts are likely to be of any age, race, sex or socio-economic background. Knowing the symptoms of methamphetamine use may save the life of a loved one. A fatal heart attack is the natural conclusion to prolonged methamphetamine abuse. Another natural consequence o f Meth use is brain damage. Seizures and psychosis may precede death by weeks or months. Magnetic Resonance Images (MRIs) of the brains of Meth addicts appear similar to those of Parkinson’s patients.
Meth addicts eventually reach the state of being unemployable. They are unable to focus, behave bizarrely and may be frequently absent from work. Once they lose their job they will start to sell off or trade their assets for the drug. Once they have financially cleaned themselves out, they may turn to theft and or prostitution. Most of the theft in Riley County can be directly traced to drug addiction. The home meth lab is often the result of the meth addict no longer being able to afford to buy it from a dealer weighed against the hassle factor of becoming a burglar or prostitute.
Meth addicts become nomadic. They find themselves unable to keep up with rents, utility bills and collectors. The paranoia that comes with extended use may contribute to this inability to stay put. They may frequently change towns or cross state lines to avoid detection. The mobile meth lab has become increasingly popular. Cooking meth has a very strong chemical odor that would normally be very out of place in a residential area. While rural settings may provide more cover for meth production, Meth addicts who have lost their cars will find such a location difficult to reach.
Besides pseudoephedrine, other compounds common in a batch of meth might be: Alcohol, Ether, Benzene, Toluene/Paint Thinner, Freon, Acetone, Chloroform, Camp Stove Fuel/Coleman Fuel, Starting Fluid, Anhydrous Ammonia, "Heet", White Gasoline, Phenyl-2-Propane, Phenylacetone, Phenylpropanolamine, Iodine Crystals, Red Phosphorous, Black Iodine, Lye (Red Devil Lye), DranoMuriatic/Hydrochloric Acid, Battery Acid/Sulfuric Acid, Epsom Salts, Batteries/Lithium, Sodium Metal, Ephedrine (over-the-counter), Cold Tablets, Bronchodialators, Energy Boosters, Rock Salt, or Diet Aids. (Note the overwhelming presence of heavy metals, carcinogens and corrosive chemicals in the list.)
There is no set recipe. The average Meth cook passes on his recipe to 10 others before he or she retires (Institute for Governmental Research).
Besides the supermarket and hardware store, Meth Chefs frequent rural farms. According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, “Kansas is experiencing a new type of methamphetamine production that uses anhydrous ammonia as one of its main ingredients. Methamphetamine producers are taking containers to CO-OPs to have them filled or they steal it from tanks on privately-owned fields.” Anhydrous ammonia is a widely used source of nitrogen fertilizer. It is a chemical made up of one part nitrogen and three parts hydrogen. It is one of the most potentially dangerous chemicals used in agriculture. A pressure can, such as a propane tank, is necessary for containment. Direct inhalation of anhydrous ammonia can be fatal. The KBI is asking that all anhydrous ammonia thefts or obvious tamperings be reported immediately.
What originally came to Kansas with drug dealers from California and Mexico has become a homegrown industry. Millions of tax dollars are spent annually in Kansas on law enforcement, toxic waste clean-up from lab sites, prosecution, incarceration, as well as treatment for indigent addicts directly related to methamphetamine.
A neighborhood watch system is essential to keeping this activity from settling in. Abandoned outbuildings and vehicles should be checked regularly for signs of make-shift lab equipment or empty chemical containers. Personal as well as rental references should be required of all tenants. That anorexic neighbor that can’t stop talking should be observed closely. Constant late night traffic should be considered suspicious. If you suspect drug activity you can report it anonymously online at: http://www.accesskansas.org/drugenforcement/report.html or you can call 1-800-KSCRIME.
So next time you are standing in line, mouth-breathing, waiting to buy that much needed decongestant for your hay-fever, rather than grumbling, consider that this inconvenience may be just the incentive that meth cooks need to leave Kansas. Oklahoma has achieved fair success through this method of restricting access to pseudoephedrine. Its such a little thing but it has the potential to make a great impact. Our naivety is what made the drug dealers comfortable in Kansas, our diligence will make them uncomfortable.
