[Mb-civic] Ice. Crank. Glass. Meth. Chalk. Crystal.

[Lyle K'ang]

  CRIME
The Crystal Meth Epidemic

Ice. Crank. Glass. Meth. Chalk. Crystal. No matter what you call it, methamphetamine abuse is sweeping across the United States, leaving a devastating wake. Twelve million Americans have tried the drug; its effects are being felt in both urban and rural areas. Ten years ago, there were 912 meth lab seizures; last year there were nearly 16,000 seizures. More addictive than crack, crystal meth gives users a 12-hour euphoric high along with severe psychotic delusions, paranoia, random violence and extreme weight loss. Its side effects include upticks in violent crime, strained prison systems, and thousands children thrust into foster care. A new survey of the nation's sheriffs by the National Association of Counties found meth was " the nation's leading drug problem affecting local law enforcement agencies."

CRYSTAL CAUSES CRIME: According to the National Association of Counties' survey of law enforcement agencies in 500 counties in 45 states, crystal meth is the number one drug problem in 58 percent of all of the counties surveyed. According to cops, crystal meth is driving up the number of robberies and burglaries in 7 out of every 10 counties. That's the case in Lewis County, Idaho, which reports a 300 percent increase in crime due to crystal meth.

IDEAS FOR REFORM: The primary ingredient in crystal meth is pseudoephedrine, an ingredient commonly found in cold medications like Sudafed. (It's only in the pills; gel caps or liquid forms of Sudafed don't work.) The drug can be extracted using harsh chemicals like battery acid, brake fluid or Draino. "The problem is that you can get everything to start a meth lab at Wal Mart," says Florida law enforcement official Sgt. Scott Behringer. There are a number of ideas to address the problem. For example, Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) and Jim Talent (R-MO) recently introduced a bill to try to curb the mass sale of Sudafed, requiring pharmacies to keep Sudafed behind the counter. Customers would have to show a photo ID to purchase the cold medicine and would be limited to about 250 30-milligram pills a month. States like Oklahoma and California which have tried this have seen dramatic reductions in their meth problems. The first month the law was in effect in Oklahoma, for example
 , there was a 40 percent drop in methamphetamine labs; the number of labs is now down almost 80 percent in that state.

INDUSTRY FIGHTS BACK: Not surprisingly, powerful corporate interests, concerned with their bottom line, are fighting the Feinstein/Talent legislation. For example, Consumer Health Care Products Association lobbyist Mike Gardner warned, "let's not go overboard just because it's a noble goal."

BUSH BAILS ON THE PROBLEM: Instead of standing up to this drug crisis, President Bush has done the opposite, cutting funds for programs which fight the problem. In his last budget, Bush reduced funds for the Justice Department's methamphetamine initiative 60 percent, from $52.6 million to just $20 million. He also slashed anti-drug spending for high-intensity drug areas from $226 million to $100 million. He also eliminated a $634 million grant for state and local police. In response to the survey of sheriffs released yesterday, White House policy analyst Dave Murray " disagreed that [methamphetamine abuse] had reached the state of an epidemic."

METH LEADS TO DOMESTIC ABUSE: One of the more tragic side effects to the crystal meth scourge is its devastation of families. According to the National Association of Counties, 62 percent of counties reported spikes in domestic violence because of meth use. And kids pay the highest price for skyrocketing meth usage; with more and more parents becoming addicted, more and more children have fallen into the already strained foster care system. Mike O'Dell of Alabama estimates 80 percent of children currently in the state foster care system were removed from meth homes. During the past four years, 362 kids with meth-addicted parents entered the foster care system in Arizona; 770 children were removed from meth homes in Kentucky. Iowa now cares for 1,000 kids who were abused or neglected because of their parents' meth habits.

METH MOUTH: Another giant strain on taxpayers: the cost of medical care of meth users in prisons. In Kansas, for example, treating prisoners with "meth mouth" has driven state medical costs up as much as 8 percent. (Here's a photo of the " meth mouth" phenomenon. Don't view while eating.) Crystal meth eats away at tooth enamel while slowing the body's creation of saliva, eventually leaving teeth the consistency of "ripe fruit." Some prisoners require up to 14 root canals to repair their ravaged teeth or complete tooth extractions, at $500 a pop. Consider the case of Tennessee, for example, where nearly a third of all prisoners have teeth destroyed by methamphetamine; the costs begin to add up. And taxpayers are stuck with the bill.

LIVE LINK: http://www.americanprogressaction.org/site/pp.asp?c=klLWJcP7H&b=83210


Lyle Kekahi K'ang, MBA/IM 
http://silomanagement.blogspot.com/
http://lyve-oasis.com