DANGEROUS DRUG

Police Discover Meth Lab, Say Drug Is on Its Way To City

With one of the largest methamphetamine labs ever discovered in
Ontario being dismantled northwest of the city near Gooderham, local
police say it's a sign the drug is about to rain down on the area.

"In Peterborough, there hasn't been large seizures of meth, but
certainly all indications are it's on its way and going to be a
problem here in the near future," Det. Const. Laine Schubert told The
Examiner yesterday.

"There is some small amounts that are being picked up here."

Monique Beneteau, health promoter for the Peterborough County-City
Health Unit, said meth completely destroys users.

"This is one that people can get hooked on the fastest," Beneteau
said. "Your health deteriorates really fast."

The drug is a stimulant that hypes up its users and allows them to go
without sleep, she said.

It causes rapid weight loss, confusion, delusions and paranoia, Beneteau said.

Many users are found with sores on their faces or other body parts
from hallucinations that cause them to pick at their skin.

A common feature of the drug is "meth mouth" which features brown,
rotting teeth and receding gums, she said.

The highly addictive drug takes a toll on users but it can also be a
law enforcement nightmare - desperate addicts can be desperate
criminals in need of quick cash for their quick fix.

"It is just incredibly addictive. They do what they got to do to get
money to support their next hit," Schubert said, adding one gram of
crystal meth sells for $80 to $120 on the street.

"They are going to turn to criminal activity to support the habit."

Det. Const. Ernie Garbutt of the Kawartha Combined Forces Drug Unit
said meth lab operations are a concern.

There is always a risk for officers when raiding a marijuana grow
operation, he said, but those dangers are even greater with meth labs.

"You don't know what chemicals you will find," Garbutt said, adding
because meth labs may be in the middle of production when police
arrive there is always the chance a meth lab could explode.

"We can't even shut the power down because some of the chemicals
explode if under-or overheated."

Meth ingredients vary but can include ether, paint thinner, drain
cleaner, freon, red phosphorous, battery acid and cold medications.

"The chemicals in it are just brutal. A lot of time people just don't
have any idea what they are putting into their body with meth," Schubert said.

Garbutt said special officers from the OPP clandestine laboratory
investigative response team have to disassemble meth labs adding to
the cost of an investigation.

The unit was called in to dismantle the rental property in Gooderham
in Haliburton County.

The byproducts created from meth production are also dangerous.

"Every pound of meth creates six pounds of waste," Garbutt said.

Producers don't care what happens to the waste, he said, so it's not
uncommon that it gets dumped outside or even down the drain.

The toxic nature of meth production means it could harm frontline
officers who don't know they've entered a meth lab until it's too
late, Garbutt said.

Depending on where the meth is made it can also harm bystanders who
go into a room after a production lab has left or who are nearby if
the lab blows up.

Stopping meth isn't impossible, just difficult and dangerous, police said.

"We'll continue to do our best to fight the ongoing drug problem,"
Schubert said.

"We need the public's help through Crime Stoppers and other areas
they can make a difference."