METHAMPHETAMINE USE UP AMONG YOUTHS

Task force calls for more treatment centers.

The number of children and teen-agers arrested for methamphetamine-related
crimes in Orange County rose nearly 38 percent from 1998 to 1999, signaling
a need for more prevention, enforcement and treatment, police and social
scientists say.

Juveniles accounted for 260 arrests for crimes involving the synthetic drug
in 1999, up from 189 a year earlier. The number of adults arrested for
dealing, possessing or making methamphetamine dropped more than 79 percent
during the same period.

The findings are contained in the first report published by the Orange
County Methamphetamine Task Force, a collaboration of criminal-justice,
social and health agencies that is trying to curb methamphetamine use.

The report, which will be presented to the Orange County Board of
Supervisors this morning, also found that the drug has growing social and
environmental costs.

County experts say more juvenile treatment facilities are needed to combat
the problem among children and teen-agers.

"Treatment for juveniles doing any kind of illicit substance is an area of
need in the county," said Robin Knox, co-chairman of the task force. "There
are just not enough publicly funded juvenile facilities."

Juvenile prosecutors said the trend involves kids of all socioeconomic levels.

"We're seeing everything from simple possession to being under the
influence to dealing methamphetamine on campus," said Mike Fell, spokesman
for the District Attorney's Office.

Sentences range from incarceration in juvenile hall to time in
court-sponsored or private treatment programs.

Known by the street names meth, ice, crank, crystal and speed, the
ephedrine-based synthetic drug can be made at relatively low cost -- about
$40 a gram -- using ingredients that can largely be bought over the
counter. This has caused popularity to skyrocket nationwide.

Of 3,285 clandestine methamphetamine laboratories discovered by U.S.
authorities in 1999, about 63 percent were in California. But fewer than
100 of those were found in Orange County, where the number of labs fell
substantially, from 133 in 1998, according to the task force report. The
report examined figures through 1999.

Other highlights of the report include:

The costs of cleaning drug labs and their toxic waste continued to mount in
Orange County, despite a drop in the number of labs.

More children were found living in Orange County drug labs in 1999 than in
previous years, largely due to improved efforts to find and track the children.

Admissions into drug-treatment programs for methamphetamine addiction
dipped slightly in 1999, but was still 71 percent higher compared to 1996.

According to state figures, most of the drug labs seized in Orange County
since 1995 have been in Anaheim, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Huntington Beach.

The county task force will urge supervisors to consider 37 recommendations
to improve treatment, enforcement and prevention. Task force members hope
new attention will be focused on juvenile users.

Register staff writer Ronald Campbell contributed to this report.