THE LITTLEST ADDICT It started at a party. It ended in a suicide attempt. She'd smoked marijuana before, but not methamphetamine. When she saw the older kids doing it at the party, she decided to try it. She was 12. Now she's 13 and in rehab for meth addiction. Experts say meth -- a highly addictive and euphoric drug that was once associated with rural communities and rundown hotels -- is starting to show up in the littlest addicts. For teenagers who are now entering the criminal justice system and drug counseling programs, the appeal of meth is simple -- it's easy to buy and cheap to manufacture. Another impact isn't as alluring -- it kills. The girl, who agreed to answer questions about her experience in exchange for anonymity, is a patient at the Carolina Center for Behavioral Health in Greer. The first time she tried meth was at a friend's house. She was there with three other girls and five older boys. "I felt like I was going real fast-like. And I felt like I could do anything, and I stayed up the whole night, and I went outside early in the morning and it was still dark. I started hearing and seeing things," she said. After that night, she started doing meth every day, and her grades started suffering. She began getting into trouble and lying to her parents about money. "I would ask my mom and daddy for money to go shopping, but I was really buying meth the whole time." She was able to hide her addiction, even though she went from weighing 130 pounds to 90. "I wouldn't do it at my house, and they didn't know what meth caused me to look like. They didn't know anything about it." Her parents finally found out after she tried to commit suicide. That's when she began getting help. It's been almost two months she's been meth-free. "All it will do is ruin your life and people's (lives) close to you," she said. Disturbing trend Just last month, five area teenagers were charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines after officers raided a Gaffney hotel room and found several clear baggies containing a crystal substance believed to be meth, a pipe and a laptop computer. Police also found the substance in the car that belonged to one of the teens. Authorities say the trend toward younger users is disturbing, but not surprising. It's been termed "the poor man's crack" because although meth is cheaper, it delivers a similar high. "It's supposedly the highest high," said Lt. Ashley Harris, a chemist with the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office. Immediately after smoking or injecting, users say they experience a short-lived, extremely satisfying sensation. But after a few minutes, they become agitated and some become extremely violent. Other possible immediate effects include increased wakefulness and insomnia, decreased appetite, anxiety, nervousness, convulsions and heart attack. Despite its side effects, meth has become a popular drug. The Spartanburg Alcohol and Drug Abuse Commission, an outpatient rehab facility for voluntary and court-ordered clients, has seen a dramatic increase in meth use so far this year. In 2005, the commission saw 26 adolescents and adults who listed meth as their primary drug. So far this year, it's seen 69 -- a 265 percent increase over all of last year in just two months. Its popularity has increased because it's so easy to obtain, Harris said. Some Web sites show how to build a meth lab with over-the-counter cold remedies and common household items like drain cleaner and antifreeze. State lawmakers are trying to create obstacles that would keep the key ingredient out of the wrong hands. A proposed bill would limit the amount of nonprescription cold medicines a person could buy, and would require them to sign a log that would be sent to state law enforcement officers every two months. The bill's primary sponsor, Rep. Joan Brady, R-Richland, said a high school student brought the issue of meth to her attention. "That's when I realized this was a problem -- even at the high school level," Brady said. Seventh Circuit Assistant Solicitor Jessica Thill said the number of teens using meth has increased in recent years. But other drugs like marijuana, prescription pills and inhalants are far more popular among teens. An emerging problem National studies show that meth has leveled off in recent years. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that in 2004 an estimated 1.4 million persons aged 12 or older had used meth in the past year, and 600,000 persons had used it in the past month. Those numbers are very close to those in 2002 and 2003. But counselors are afraid that eventually even more teens will experiment with meth. "The problems don't start with meth. They start with cigarettes and alcohol, and then it's pot and other drugs," said Cindy Stichnoth, an adolescent therapist with the Greer-based Carolina Center. The center, which is owned and operated by a subsidiary of Universal Health Services Inc., recently developed an outpatient chemical dependency program for teens. Stichnoth said if meth continues to be widely available, adolescents could move through the other drugs faster or start bypassing them all together. Last week a 12-year-old girl in Kansas was taken into juvenile custody after she brought meth to her middle school. So far it's unknown how the girl got the drug. Stichnoth said children who use drugs often start because someone they're close to has a substance abuse problem. Children may be taken from their parents if they are exposed to drugs, alcohol or abuse, said Pat Young, program coordinator for Children's Protective Services. Young said her office has not had to remove many children from their parents' homes because of meth, but she knows that the drug is out there. "It's just not as high as we would think," Young said. Monitoring meth use is relatively new. Many state and national organizations are just beginning to collect data on its use. Spartanburg County's Department of Juvenile Justice interim director Don Peden said meth shows up periodically in drug tests. Peden said one-third of the 13- to 17-year-olds he sees have some kind of alcohol or drug issue, including meth. "We're seeing more because it's a relatively new drug," Peden said. Stichnoth said like adults, teens experience behavioral and physical reactions to the drug, including discolored skin and marks on their legs and body, as well as dramatic mood swings and aggressive, violent outbursts. "With alcohol and cigarettes, it could take 25 years to see the damage," said the Carolina Center's CEO John Willingham. "With meth it takes 60 days. That's how intense and devastating it is."
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