'Meth'-ology, Part 3

METH INVESTIGATIONS ARE A RISK FOR OFFICERS

From Memphis to Cleveland to Knoxville, and beyond, methamphetamine grabs
thousands and strangles the life from their bodies. But this danger is not
only to the user, it also affects the law enforcement officials who must
enter the residence where meth is being manufactured. (Editor's Note --
This is the third in a series of articles on the increase in
methamphetamine production, distribution and use in Southeast Tennessee.)

The meth trade is a growing business in the Tennessee Valley. Federal,
state and local law enforcement agents discovered more than 510 meth and
meth-related labs in Tennessee over a three-year period.

This drug is made by a variety of small-timers who labor in dangerous
makeshift settings to sophisticated drug lords who pay others to work in
well-equipped super labs.

Thousands of gallons of toxic wastes are produced by the meth industry and
are dumped into rivers and irrigation canals and onto farmland. But not all
manufacturing is done at locations populated by cornfields and rows of cotton.

"Labs show up in warehouses, suburban neighborhoods, and hotel rooms," said
Bradley County Sheriff's Office Det. Brian Quinn.

In 1999, more than a million Americans used meth in just one year -- more
than used crack and almost three times as many as used heroin.

Though meth has been around for decades, the latest crisis has spread among
white -- often poor -- usually rural Americans.

Meth remains remarkably affordable because the lasting high of the drug --
which costs $20 to $60 or so for a quarter-gram, a bit more than cocaine --
is achieved with small quantities, which is why it is called "the poor
man's cocaine."

"Meth can be made in a backyard or a bathroom, and even in the trunks of
cars," said Quinn.

The rising number of mobile meth labs in the United States will also
increase the environmental and health hazards associated with meth
production and lab seizures. Toxic gas leaks, chemical fires and explosions
frequently occur at clandestine lab sites during the manufacturing process
and often contaminate water sources and soil.

Communities across the Tennessee Valley are struggling with ways to combat
this drug epidemic. Some have opted for a hard-nosed approach -- raids of
secret meth labs, operations that require special equipment and training
for police who must handle the toxic chemicals used in the production of
the drug.

"Most lab busts are luck and not experience. Therefore the danger is
greater," said Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent Dave Shelton.
"On top of the chemical hazard, there is also the possibility of the
booby-traps."

Many of the contaminants present during meth's cooking process can be
harmful if someone is exposed to them. These contaminants can cause health
problems including breathing problems, skin and eye irritation, headaches,
nausea and dizziness.

"Short-term exposures to high concentrations of some of these chemicals,
such as those law enforcement officers face when they first enter a lab,
can cause severe health problems including lung damage and burns to
different parts of the body," said Shelton.

There is little known about the health effects from long-term
susceptibility to contaminants left behind after a meth lab is dismantled.
Until the contaminants have been identified, their quantities measured, and
their health effects known, the National Drug Intelligence Center advises
property owners to exercise caution and use the safest possible cleaning
practices in dealing with a former meth lab property and any possible
remaining contamination.

Exposure to meth residues may cause symptoms similar to those experienced
by meth users. Susceptibility to volatile organic compounds may cause
symptoms such as nose and throat irritation, headaches, dizziness, nausea,
vomiting, confusion and breathing difficulties.

The Tennessee National Guard tours with an educational display of items
found in typical meth labs and will discuss with visitors how they are used.

"This drug is killing the infrastructure of military and local agencies,"
said CW2 Lou Wilson, of the Southeast Tennessee Methamphetamine Task Force.
"We tour the state and brief middle schools and high schools, community
organizations and churches in hopes of educating everyone on the dangers of
this drug."