Don't Meth With This

Methamphetamines are easy to make and pose a real danger to society.

Hardly a week goes by without a local law enforcement agency making another
meth lab bust. More than 40 labs have been found so far this year.

Shawnee County is not unique. Statewide, more than 500 meth labs were
seized last year, making Kansas third in the nation. Law enforcement
agencies have surpassed that number this year.

Meth is a growing and dangerous problem all over the country. The drug is
easily made with readily available chemicals. Labs can be small enough to
carry around in a box. They have been found in car trunks and hotel rooms.

According to a study by the National Institute of Justice, the research
branch of the Justice Department, the drug used to have limited use. About
the only ones using it were biker gangs and World War II soldiers trying to
stay awake and alert. Now, however, it ranks as the drug of choice for
white men in their 30s looking for a cheap alternative to cocaine and young
women trying to lose weight.

"Although it's been around for decades, methamphetamine is the new drug,"
said Susan Pennell, a criminal researcher and one of the authors of the
study. "It's easy to get. It's easy to make. It's cheap, and the high lasts
a long time. But the long-term effects on the brain chemistry are severe."

The latter is what makes meth and its popularity so scary.

Among its many effects, the drug can cause hallucinations, paranoia and
aggressive behavior, and that can lead to violence.

It's also highly addictive. Shawnee Regional Prevention and Recovery
Services reports that 119 area residents sought treatment for
methamphetamine addiction last year. How many other users are out there?

Another frightening thing about meth is its pervasiveness. Labs have been
seized all over the city and county. No neighborhood is immune from having
a lab next door.

The drug is dangerous to more than the user. The chemicals used to make it
are hazardous and highly flammable. They can cause fires and explosions.
Cleaning up lab sites is extremely expensive.

For many, meth is a mystery. Little is known about its use and its risks.
For the sake of prevention, it's time we start educating ourselves.