SEMINAR TO TEACH ABOUT METH DANGERS

Taxpayer Sandra Browning doesn't want to pay for the health care costs of
methamphetamine users.

She heard about the increased cost of East Tennessee inmates' dental work to
repair damage caused by the cheaply made synthetic drug that affects the
central nervous system.

Browning said a seminar sponsored by Premier Safety to educate people about
the dangers of meth will be a great way to increase awareness, so people
will know the indicators of meth and assist law enforcement.

The class, scheduled for 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Customs House Museum and
Cultural Center, is open to the public. It will focus on the hazards of
meth, the risks of exposure and how to recognize the labs.

"A lot people in the community are probably not aware," Browning said.

Tennessee is number one in methamphetamine production labs, and the problem
is gradually spreading from the eastern part of the state, said Ricky
Johnson of Premier Safety.

The highly addictive stimulant has been a problem in Clarksville since 1998
and has continued gaining popularity, Clarksville police Sgt. Bert Clinard
said. Ether, anhydrous ammonia and cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine
are key ingredients in meth.

Montgomery County Sheriff's Office spokesman Ted Denny reported 15
methamphetamine labs were discovered in the county last year. Two agents for
the 19th Judicial District Task Force, which includes Montgomery and
Robertson counties, are certified to dismantle meth labs, which can cost
thousands of dollars, said task force Sgt. Sammy Sanders. The volatile
chemicals used in production can explode.

Nationally, meth labs have been found in such places as tractor trailers and
storage units, Johnson said. Signs of meth labs include boarded windows,
abnormal amount of traffic and empty chemical containers, Johnson said.

Air-conditioner units that are on most of the time in the winter are another
indication of meth.

"You want to protect your loved ones and yourself, then your community and
your environment," he said of the seminar's benefits.

Exposure to the chemicals can also cause loss of consciousness, paranoia,
hallucinations and even death.

Exposing children to the chemical's poisonous vapors is considered severe
child abuse, and with the state's increasing number of babies addicted to
meth, the Department of Children's Services workers can remove children from
meth-manufacturing parents more easily, said Amelia Wallace, local Children
Protective Services coordinator.

From January 2002 to August 2003, DCS placed 600 children statewide -- 11
from Mid-Cumberland counties -- in foster cares, according to Department of
Children's Services reports.

Meth labs are also dangerous for firefighters. When firefighters are called,
they aren't going to be told the fire was caused by meth, Fire Marshal Ray
Williams said. Some of the chemicals are especially reactive with water, he
said.

Also, meth makers often set up booby traps to stop law enforcement, he said.

Williams encourages the public to be informed about meth.

"It's definitely a plus for emergency workers. We've got to proactive rather
than reactive," he said.

People can do their part in preventing the increase of meth labs in
Clarksville, Johnson said.

Anyone who suspects a meth lab is urged to call 911 or the Tennessee Bureau
of Investigation hotline at (877) 866-6384.

"They need to make sure they say meth lab" to prepare emergency workers for
the possible situation, Johnson said.