Series: Meth: Shattering Lives In Northern Nevada

A three-month Reno Gazette-Journal investigation found that
methamphetamine's grip on the Truckee Meadows has become a stranglehold.

METH IS 'A WHOLE NEW LEVEL' OF DRUGS FOR NEVADA'S TEENS

Instead of worrying about their upcoming biology test or if their
latest crush likes them, Washoe County adolescent methamphetamine
addicts are meeting with probation officers, urinating into cups for
mandatory drug testing and having to prove to their parents that they
can be trusted again.

Nice childhood, huh?

Many teen addicts run away and live on the streets, or with strangers
or older meth addicts. Others end up sexually assaulted or robbed.
They drop out of school.

Many teen meth users say the drug makes them feel invincible and
energized, giving them an escape without really going anywhere. Some
have underlying mental issues or emotional problems. Others are just
rebellious or let a drug experiment get out of hand.

And these aren't just poor kids: Teen meth abuse in Washoe County
strikes all backgrounds and wealth levels, juvenile justice and
treatment officials say.

"Meth is a whole new level compared to pot and over-the-counter
drugs," said Christine Eckles, juvenile probation officer who
oversees juvenile drug court defendants. "It's a whole new ball game.
I tell kids heavily into it who run away and use meth for days on end
that they are in a war."

Choosing meth over offspring

Eckles described one of her clients as Stacey, 15, who was introduced
to her when she was 14 and had truancy and criminal issues. The girl
had been stealing deodorant from stores and food from homes because
her family couldn't provide her with the basic neccessities. She was
placed on probation. She lived with her mother, who was a 15-year
meth addict and lived with her meth addict boyfriend and their drug
dealer. Her two brothers were in the criminal justice system.

The girl frequently tested positive for meth while on probation.
Eckles wanted to know why she started using in the first place when
she knew the damage it caused to her own family.

"She said she wanted to know why her mother loved it so much," Eckles
recounted, "because she picked meth over her."

The girl is in drug court, where it was determined she needed
residential treatment. Her mother was in jail during this time. The
day after the mother got released in late April, Eckles visited her
to talk about getting her daughter back. Her mother tested positive
for meth that day.

"Her mom won't stay clean and is unwilling to kick out the drug
dealer," Eckles said. "Meth is so powerful she chose meth over her child."

The girl's brother's girlfriend also recently delivered a baby that
was taken away by social workers because tests showed the baby had
meth in its bloodstream.

"This is the norm," Eckles said of children's meth lifestyles. "So
many say they just wanted to try it once."

While some kids experiment with alcohol and drugs as a rite of
passage, the highly addictive meth often hooks kids immediately.
What's more, meth is easy to buy in Washoe County; many teen meth
users say all it takes is a walk around downtown Reno. Police say
some kids who are heavy users also sell to other teens and older adults.

Few programs for teens

Debra Kamka, counselor and founder of Quest Counseling in Reno, one
of the few resources available here for teens, said Reno's lifestyle
makes it easy for teens to abuse meth.

"We live in a 24-hour town, families are working two jobs and friends
are doing it," she said.

Kamka said users' tolerance of the drug increases and "it becomes a
daily thing instead of just on the weekends." The steady use makes it
more difficult to stop, and Jolene Dalluhn, counselor and co-founder
of Quest, said this requires a long recovery time -- frustrating
young patients who want immediate results.

"They need to be clean before they can start counseling," she said.
"They like to blame everyone and everything for their problems, but
meth is the root of it all and therapy doesn't work if they don't
change their thinking."

The problem is that meth makes users feel euphoric, and few other
activities make teens feel as good.

"That meth euphoria ... they are always in search of a feeling that
good again and it's hard to find a replacement for it," Eckles said.

'How many are we missing?'

Washoe County juvenile drug court probation officer Mike Loranger
said there are 950 juveniles on probation and half have substance
abuse issues """" primarily with meth.

"With meth, we're not just working with the child, we're working with
mom and dad and bringing in therapists to deal with mental health
issues," he said. "We have 950 in probation, but how many are we missing?"

Eckles said even former users who work and receive therapy still hold
an affection for the drug.

"It seems like a piece of them is so in love with meth and it's still
a struggle to give it up, even though they have lost relationships,
aren't in school, are in unsafe environments and are not living the
life they always wanted," she said.

Talk to children early

Quest Executive Director Denise Everett said that parents need to
talk to their children at a young age. Just as some families discuss
going to college after high school, families should make 'saying no
to drugs' "part of their consciousness."

Eckles is still confused why teens like meth. It rots their teeth,
ruins their skin and leaves them dirty and malnourished.

"(Yet) they describe these environments like it's a great time," she
said. "They have no answer when I ask them why they do it. They just
know they want to do it again."