METH ISSUES DEMAND MORE LOCAL RESOURCES

Marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, and at least
one-third of Americans have used marijuana sometime in their lives,
according to information on the Drug Enforcement Agency Web site.

But in Caldwell County another drug is commanding the most attention
from law enforcement.

In 2001, 187 criminal incidents in Caldwell County involved
marijuana, and in 2005 that number had fallen to 93. However, ICE
(Intercounty Counterdrug Enforcement) Agent Sgt. Chris Hatton said
the number of incidents involving methamphetamine increased
dramatically during the same period.

Due to the increase in meth use and crimes, local law enforcement
agencies are having to focus more of their time on meth and other
more dangerous drugs than marijuana.

"People who smoke weed rarely, if ever, commit crimes to buy
marijuana," Hatton said. "Then you have crack and meth users who will
basically steal from their own mother to get those drugs.

"They commit a lot of crimes to get money to buy those drugs."

For example, Hatton said if his agents got two tips, one about
someone selling marijuana and another about someone selling or
cooking meth, his agents would have to focus on the meth dealer
first. Methamphetamine is a more serious drug with more dangerous
social side effects, Hatton said.

Since law enforcement officers have limited resources, they have to
prioritize, Hatton said.

"We have to be efficient with the time we have and get the biggest
bang for the buck," Hatton said. "That's the situation for all law
enforcement agencies. No law enforcement agency has unlimited resources."

Lenoir Police Narcotics Officers Dwayne Pruitt agrees. Pruitt said
marijuana and meth aren't really comparable, and that meth is much
more destructive.

"Meth is more devastating to the community than marijuana. That's
pretty factual. There's no argument," Pruitt said. "But it doesn't
make marijuana any less of a problem."

Pruitt pointed out that the "life cycle" of meth addiction is much
shorter than that of marijuana addiction, which could explain
influxes in meth use and steady levels of marijuana use.

"With meth, your long-term users are either going to end up in prison
or die," Pruitt said. "Not that (marijuana is) any less of a problem,
but it doesn't have that destroying effect on your body like meth."

As far as meth use, Pruitt said less meth is being produced in
Caldwell, but the drug is now being brought into the county.

"I think we are shifting gears on the influx," he said.

Pruitt also said that resources determine the response.

"When we are having to triage our man-hours, we'll spend our
man-hours on meth, rather than marijuana, when we have the same
number of cases," Pruitt said. "That's just the reality.

"Until they give me unlimited resources and unlimited money, you have
to put the resources where the problem is."

According to the DEA Web site, DEA marijuana seizures decreased from
2000-2005 just as DEA meth seizures increased during the same period.

In 2000, The DEA seized 338,287 kilograms of marijuana and 1,771
kilograms of meth. By 2005, marijuana seizures had dropped to 282,139
kilograms while the DEA seized 2,148 kilograms of meth.

Although the numbers show a drop in incidents or seizures locally and
nationally, Hatton said he doesn't think actual marijuana use is down.

"Me personally, I believe the use of marijuana stays the same,"
Hatton said. "People who smoke marijuana smoke marijuana."

Hatton said he thinks marijuana seizures by the ICE agents will be up
in Caldwell for 2005.

In June, ICE agents conducted two marijuana eradication operations in
northern Caldwell County along with members of the Lenoir Police
Department Narcotics Division, State Bureau of Investigation and the
North Carolina National Guard RAID Unit. Officers seized more than
300 marijuana plants totaling nearly $725,000.

"I'd put (marijuana incidents) at about 130," Hatton said. "That's a
guesstimate, and that would include packaged marijuana and plant seizures."